| City | State | Zip | Court Name | Address | Url | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | MS | 39201-5002 | Fifth Circuit Librarian | 501 East Court Street, Room 1.500 Jackson MS 39201-5002 | http://www.lb5.uscourts.gov | 601-608-4800 |
| Aberdeen | MS | 39730 | Mississippi Northern Bankruptcy Court | Thad Cochran United States Bankruptcy Courthouse 703 Hwy 145 North Aberdeen MS 39730 | http://www.msnb.uscourts.gov | 662-369-2596 |
| Jackson | MS | 39201-5002 | Mississippi Southern Bankruptcy Court | 501 East Court Street, Room 2.300 Jackson MS 39201-5002 | http://www.mssb.uscourts.gov | 601-608-4600 |
| Gulfport | MS | 39501 | Mississippi Southern Bankruptcy Court | Dan M. Russell, Jr. United States Courthouse 2012 15th Street, Suite 244 Gulfport MS 39501 | http://www.mssb.uscourts.gov | 228-563-1790 |
| Aberdeen | MS | 39730 | Mississippi Northern District Court | T. G. Abernethy Federal Building 301 West Commerce Street, Room 310 Aberdeen MS 39730 | http://www.msnd.uscourts.gov | 662-369-4952 |
| Greenville | MS | 38701 | Mississippi Northern District Court | Federal Building 305 Main Street, Room 329 Greenville MS 38701 | http://www.msnd.uscourts.gov | 662-335-1651 |
| Oxford | MS | 38655 | Mississippi Northern District Court | Federal Building and United States Courthouse 911 Jackson Avenue West, Room 369 Oxford MS 38655 | http://www.msnd.uscourts.gov | 662-234-1971 |
| Aberdeen | MS | 39730 | Mississippi Northern Prob/Pretrial Office | T. G. Abernethy Federal Building 301 West Commerce Street Aberdeen MS 39730 | N/A | 662-369-2062 |
| Greenville | MS | 38701 | Mississippi Northern Prob/Pretrial Office | Federal Building 305 Main Street, Suite 401 Greenville MS 38701 | N/A | 662-335-8575 |
| Oxford | MS | 38655 | Mississippi Northern Prob/Pretrial Office | Federal Building and United States Courthouse 911 Jackson Avenue West, Suite 273 Oxford MS 38655 | N/A | 662-234-2761 |
| Tupelo | MS | 38804 | Mississippi Northern Prob/Pretrial Office | 431 W Main St, Suite 210 Tupelo MS 38804 | N/A | 662-842-9430 |
| Gulfport | MS | 39501 | Mississippi Southern District Court | Dan M. Russell, Jr. United States Courthouse 2012 15th Street, Room 403 Gulfport MS 39501 | http://www.mssd.uscourts.gov | 228-563-1700 |
| Hattiesburg | MS | 39401 | Mississippi Southern District Court | United States Courthouse and Federal Building 701 North Main Street, Room 200 Hattiesburg MS 39401 | http://www.mssd.uscourts.gov | 601-583-2433 |
| Jackson | MS | 39201-5002 | Mississippi Southern District Court | 501 East Court Street, Room 2.500 Jackson MS 39201-5002 | http://www.mssd.uscourts.gov | 601-608-4000 |
| Natchez | MS | 39120-3466 | Mississippi Southern District Court | United States Courthouse 109 South Pearl Street, 2nd Floor Natchez MS 39120-3466 | http://www.mssd.uscourts.gov | 601-442-3006 |
| Hattiesburg | MS | 39401 | Mississippi Southern Prob/Pretrial Office | United States Courthouse and Federal Building 701 North Main Street, Suite 311 Hattiesburg MS 39401 | http://www.mssp.uscourts.gov | 601-582-5256 |
| Jackson | MS | 39201-5002 | Mississippi Southern Prob/Pretrial Office | 501 East Court Street, Suite 1.550 Jackson MS 39201-5002 | http://www.mssp.uscourts.gov | 601-608-4900 |
| Gulfport | MS | 39501 | Mississippi Southern Prob/Pretrial Office | Dan M. Russell, Jr. U S Courthouse Annex 2010 15th Street Gulfport MS 39501 | http://www.mssp.uscourts.gov | 228-563-1850 |
| Jackson | MS | 39201 | Mississippi Southern Federal Public Defender | City Centre Building 200 South Lamar Street, Suite 200N Jackson MS 39201 | N/A | 601-948-4284 |
| Gulfport | MS | 39501 | Mississippi Southern Federal Public Defender | Hancock Bank Plaza 2510 14th Street, Suite 902 Gulfport MS 39501 | N/A | 228-865-1202 |
| Oxford | MS | 38655-3751 | Mississippi Southern Federal Public Defender | 1200 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 100 Oxford MS 38655-3751 | N/A | 662-236-2889 |
Mississippi Federal Courts – Locations, Hours & Phone Numbers
The United States legal system is divided into many courts, each with their own specific jurisdiction covering certain geographical areas and legal issues. Federal courts were created in 1789 under the United States Constitution, with jurisdiction over federal crimes, disputes where federal laws are at issue, disputes between citizens of different states where a considerable amount of money (today $75,000) is at stake, and bankruptcy and intellectual property matters. Mississippi federal courts are an integral part of them.
As the American economy developed and the federal government’s power grew – especially after the Civil War – Congress has repeatedly altered the structure and size of the federal court system to ensure that citizens are able to receive speedy trials and commercial disputes are heard in a timely fashion.
In Mississippi, the state’s federal courts are divided into two judicial districts, each with their own courthouses and judges.
The Northern District of Mississippi has three current judges – two appointed by President George W. Bush and one appointed by President Barack Obama – and two senior judges, both appointed by President Ronald Reagan. Federal court cases in Northern Mississippi are held in Aberdeen, Ackerman, Clarksdale, Cleveland, Corinth, Greenville, and Oxford.
In southern Mississippi, court is held in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Natchez, Meridian, and Jackson. The Southern District has six current judges and four senior status judges. Of the ten, four were appointed by Bush, four by Reagan, one by Obama, and one by President George H.W. Bush.
If a plaintiff or defendant appeals a decision of a District Court judge in either the Northern or Southern District, their appeal is considered by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which is based in New Orleans.
Many people are often interested in obtaining records of federal court cases, including filings in criminal cases (which often contain detailed information about the government’s accusations and the defendant’s response) and civil cases (explaining the rationale for someone bringing a suit). Transcripts of hearings and other information, including judge’s preliminary and final decisions, are also available.
To obtain these records, the Mississippi federal courts system uses an online system called PACER, which stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. This provides some, though not all, federal court records online. There is a fee associated with this service. Alternatively, interested citizens can visit the facilities of any of the federal courts in Mississippi to inspect the court records they are interested in as a hard copy.
