Mississippi ProcessStatewide Legal Intake

Mississippi Process Serving & Civil Procedure Library

Fact-checked, statutory reference guides covering Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure (MRCP) Rule 4, Rule 45 subpoenas, Chancery Court Rule 81 summonses, Justice Court evictions, and UIDDA foreign subpoena domestication across all 82 Mississippi counties.

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Pricing & Statutory Fees8 min read

Cost of Serving Legal Papers in Mississippi: Statutory Sheriff Fees vs. Private Process Server Rates

In Mississippi, the statutory county sheriff fee for serving or attempting to serve civil process is $45.00 per defendant under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-19(1)(a) (plus $5.00 for each additional defendant residing at the same household). Private process servers in Mississippi charge predictable flat rates starting at $65 for Standard Service (up to 3 attempts across morning, evening, and weekend windows), $110 for Priority Rush Service (first attempt within 24 hours), and $160 for Same-Day Emergency Dispatch across all 82 counties.

Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-19 (Statutory County Sheriff Service of Process Fees — $45.00)
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Rules & Authority9 min read

Sheriff vs. Private Process Server in Mississippi: MRCP Rule 4(c) Authority & Turnaround Comparison

Under Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 4(c)(1), a summons and complaint may be served by ANY person who is not a party to the action and is not less than 18 years of age—without requiring a special court order or appointment in Circuit, Chancery, or County Court. Private process servers offer 24–72 hour first attempts, evening/weekend routing, and immediate GPS-verified notarized Returns of Service, whereas county sheriffs prioritize criminal warrants and physical property seizures.

Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(1) (Service by Process Server — Any Non-Party Adult 18+)
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Landlord-Tenant & Evictions9 min read

How to Serve an Eviction Notice & Notice to Quit in Mississippi (Residential Landlord & Tenant Act)

Under the Mississippi Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13), a landlord must serve a written 3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit before filing an eviction for nonpayment of rent, or a 14-Day Notice for curable lease violations (and a 30-Day Notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy under § 89-8-19). Once the notice expires, an eviction lawsuit (Affidavit of Removal / Unlawful Detainer) is filed in Justice Court or County Court, and the eviction summons must be served at least 5 days before the trial date.

Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13 (Mississippi Residential Landlord and Tenant Act — Notice Periods)
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Subpoenas & Discovery9 min read

Subpoena Service & Witness Fee Calculation Rules in Mississippi (MRCP Rule 45 & Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-47)

CRITICAL MISSISSIPPI SUBPOENA RULE: Under Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 45(c)(1), when serving a subpoena commanding a non-party witness to attend a deposition or trial, you MUST tender the fee for one day’s attendance PLUS round-trip in-state mileage AT THE TIME OF SERVICE. Under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-47 and § 25-7-61, the daily witness attendance fee in Mississippi is equal to the daily pay of a juror set by the County Board of Supervisors (statutorily between $25.00 and $40.00 per day), plus state mileage under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-3-41. If the witness fee is not tendered upon service, the non-party witness has NO legal obligation to obey the subpoena!

Miss. R. Civ. P. 45(c)(1) (Subpoena Service & Mandatory Tender of Witness Fee and Mileage)
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Corporate & Entity Service9 min read

How to Serve an LLC, Corporation, or Registered Agent in Mississippi (MRCP Rule 4(d)(4) & § 79-35-13)

Under Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 4(d)(4) and the Mississippi Registered Agents Act (Miss. Code Ann. § 79-35-13), service of process upon a domestic or foreign corporation, LLC, or partnership is made by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to an officer, a managing or general agent, OR to any other agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process (the Registered Agent). When a registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, Miss. Code Ann. § 79-35-13(b) and § 13-3-57 govern alternative and Secretary of State service.

Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(4) (Service Upon Domestic or Foreign Corporations, Partnerships & LLCs)
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Evasive Defendants & Due Diligence10 min read

What Happens If Someone Avoids or Evades Service in Mississippi? (Abode Service + Mailing & Publication)

When a defendant in Mississippi cannot be served in person after reasonable diligence, MRCP Rule 4(d)(1)(B) authorizes substituted "abode service"—leaving the summons and complaint at the defendant’s usual place of abode with the defendant’s spouse or some other person of the defendant’s family above the age of sixteen (16) years who is willing to receive process. CRITICAL REQUIREMENT: Under Rule 4(d)(1)(B), abode service is NOT complete until the server ALSO mails a copy of the summons and complaint by first-class mail (postage prepaid) to the defendant at that address on the same day or next business day, and service is deemed complete on the 10th day after mailing!

Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1)(A) (Personal In-Hand Service on an Individual)
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Family Law & Chancery Court10 min read

How to Serve Divorce, Custody & Chancery Court Rule 81 Papers in Mississippi

CRITICAL CHANCERY COURT DISTINCTION: In Mississippi Chancery Court, domestic relations matters use TWO completely different types of summonses depending on the relief sought! Initial fault-based divorce complaints use a standard 30-day MRCP Rule 4 Summons. However, temporary hearings, child custody/support petitions, divorce modifications, and contempt actions are governed by MRCP Rule 81(d), which requires a special Rule 81 Summons commanding the respondent to appear in court at a specific date, time, and place (served at least 7 days before the hearing for temporary/contempt matters under Rule 81(d)(2), or 30 days for modifications/custody under Rule 81(d)(1)).

Miss. R. Civ. P. 81(d) (Chancery Court Domestic Relations, Contempt & Modification Summonses)
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UIDDA & Interstate Litigation9 min read

Serving Out-of-State Defendants & Domesticating UIDDA Foreign Subpoenas in Mississippi

Mississippi has enacted the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (UIDDA) at Miss. Code Ann. § 11-59-1 et seq. Out-of-state attorneys can domesticate a foreign subpoena in Mississippi without hiring local counsel or filing a miscellaneous lawsuit by submitting the foreign subpoena to the Circuit Clerk in the Mississippi county where discovery is sought. Once issued by the Circuit Clerk, the subpoena is served under MRCP Rule 45 (including tendering the statutory witness fee and mileage if commanding attendance).

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-59-1 to § 11-59-17 (Mississippi Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act)
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Justice Court & Small Claims8 min read

Justice Court ($3,500 Small Claims) & County Court Service Rules in Mississippi

Mississippi divides lower-tier civil litigation between two courts: (1) Justice Court, which serves as Mississippi’s Small Claims Court in all 82 counties for civil claims up to $3,500.00 (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9) plus summary evictions, and (2) County Court, which exists in Mississippi’s 22 most populous counties and hears civil claims up to $200,000.00 under the full Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure (MRCP Rule 4).

Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9 ($3,500 Jurisdictional Limit in Mississippi Justice Court)
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Post-Judgment & Garnishments9 min read

How to Serve a Writ of Garnishment or Bank Levy in Mississippi (Miss. Code Ann. § 11-35-1)

Under Miss. Code Ann. § 11-35-9, a Writ of Garnishment in Mississippi may be served in the same manner and by the same persons authorized to serve a summons under the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure—meaning private process servers can serve Writs of Garnishment issued out of Circuit, Chancery, or County Court! Unique Mississippi Rule: Under Miss. Code Ann. § 85-3-4(2)(a), the first 30 days’ wages of a debtor AFTER service of a writ of garnishment are 100% EXEMPT, giving the employee a 30-day window before payroll withholding begins.

Miss. Code Ann. § 11-35-1 to § 11-35-61 (Mississippi Garnishment Statutes)
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Affidavits & Court Filings8 min read

Proof of Service & Return of Service Requirements in Mississippi (MRCP Rule 4(f))

Under Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 4(f), the person serving the process must make proof of service promptly to the court. When process is served by any person other than a sheriff or constable (i.e., a private process server), the Return of Service MUST be made by a sworn, notarized AFFIDAVIT. If service was effected via substituted abode delivery under Rule 4(d)(1)(B), the affidavit must explicitly attest both to leaving the copies with a family member over age 16 AND to the subsequent first-class mailing.

Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(f) (Return of Service Requirements & Sworn Affidavit Mandate)
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Service Hours & Restrictions8 min read

Sunday, Holiday & Late-Night Service of Process Rules in Mississippi

In Mississippi, there is NO general statutory ban in the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure prohibiting a private process server from serving a civil summons, complaint, or subpoena on a Sunday, Saturday, legal holiday, early morning, or evening. Unlike Tennessee or Florida (which void routine Sunday civil process), MRCP Rule 4 permits personal service 7 days a week at any location where the defendant can be lawfully reached without trespassing or breaching the peace.

Miss. R. Civ. P. 4 (No Prohibition on Weekend, Evening, or Holiday Service)
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High-Volume Mississippi Registered Agent & Subpoena Intake Hubs

Daily courier runs to Flowood, Ridgeland, and Jackson statutory intake counters.

View All 11 MS Locations →
Flowood, MS

C T Corporation System (CT Corp) / National Registered Agents, Inc. (NRAI)

645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Madison, MS

Corporation Service Company (CSC)

109 Executive Drive, Suite 3

Ridgeland, MS

Northwest Registered Agent, LLC

270 Trace Colony Park, Suite B

Ridgeland, MS

Registered Agents Inc. (RAI)

270 Trace Colony Park, Suite B

Jackson, MS

Mississippi Secretary of State — Business Services Division

125 South Congress Street (and 401 Mississippi Street)

Jackson, MS

Mississippi Insurance Department — Service of Process Desk

1001 Woolfolk State Office Building, 501 North West Street

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