About the Clarke County Circuit Clerk
Sally Wedgeworth serves as the Clarke County Circuit Clerk. The post is an elected county office. The clerk works from the court offices on South Archusa Avenue in Quitman. The same office acts as clerk for both the County and Circuit Courts.
The Circuit Clerk handles a broad slice of the county's public records. The office files civil and criminal lawsuits, indictments, and motions. It issues court process, draws and qualifies juries, and keeps the county's judgments and executions. It also issues marriage licenses, records professional licenses, registers voters, and runs election duties. The official Clarke County Circuit Clerk page confirms these duties and the counter contact information.
Office of the Circuit Clerk
Clerk: Sally Wedgeworth
101 S Archusa Ave
Quitman, MS 39355
601-776-3111
Fax: 601-776-1001
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What the Circuit Clerk Does in Clarke County
Day to day, the Circuit Clerk is the record keeper for the county's main trial court. Clerks accept new filings, stamp them, and place each paper in the case file. They send out summonses and subpoenas so that parties and witnesses get proper notice. They also track each judgment and any steps taken to collect it.
- Files civil and criminal lawsuits, indictments, and motions in Circuit and County Court cases
- Issues court process such as summonses and subpoenas
- Draws jurors and qualifies juries for court terms
- Keeps the record of judgments and executions
- Issues marriage licenses and keeps marriage records
- Records medical and other professional licenses
- Registers voters and carries out election duties
The county help desk points several record questions straight to this office. Criminal history, civil litigation, and tax-lien questions all route to the Circuit Clerk under the official county FAQ.
Records the Clarke County Circuit Clerk Keeps
Not every county record lives with the Circuit Clerk. Mississippi splits clerk duties between two offices. The Circuit Clerk holds files tied to the Circuit and County Courts. That covers felony and major civil cases, jury matters, judgments, marriage licenses, and voter rolls. Criminal history requests for county cases also start here.
Family and property records sit elsewhere. Divorce decrees, estate and probate files, guardianships, land deeds, and delinquent-tax records belong to the county equity-court clerk. A reader who needs any of those should contact the Clarke County Chancery Clerk instead. Sending a divorce or land request to the Circuit Clerk only adds delay.
A typical Circuit Court file shows the case number, the parties, the filing date, and a running list of docket entries. Criminal files add the indictment, the plea, the orders, and the sentence. Civil files add the complaint, the answer, motions, and any final judgment. Status flags on the electronic docket can mark a case as closed, on appeal, or sealed. A judgment record also tracks any execution issued to enforce the amount owed.
Note: marriage licenses are issued by the Circuit Clerk, but divorce records are kept by the Chancery Clerk, so the two offices often get confused.
How to Request a Certified Copy
A certified copy is a court copy stamped and signed by the clerk as a true record. Courts, agencies, and some employers will not accept a plain printout in its place. Most certified-copy requests follow the same path.
- Identify the case. Have the case number ready if you can, along with the full names of the parties and the year the case was filed.
- Name the document. Tell the clerk which paper you need, such as a judgment, an order, or a marriage record, and how many copies.
- Contact the office. Call, mail, or visit the Circuit Clerk counter to confirm what the request must include and what it will cost.
- Pay the fee. Certified copies carry a per-page charge plus a certification fee, so ask the clerk for the current amount before you submit.
- Collect the copy. Pick it up at the counter or have it mailed to the address you provide.
Records Request Form Fields
Clarke County does not post a standalone court-record request form online. The county forms page lists items like voter registration and birth-certificate requests, but no court-copy form. A written request still works when it carries the right details. The fields below are the standard elements a clerk needs to find and certify a record.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | Helpful | Speeds the search; ask the clerk if you cannot locate it. |
| Party Names | Yes | Full names of the plaintiff and defendant, or the spouses on a marriage record. |
| Document Type | Yes | Name the exact paper, such as judgment, order, or marriage license. |
| Number of Copies | Yes | Each certified copy is priced per page. |
| Requester Contact | Yes | Phone, mailing address, and email for return of the copy. |
Note: the request form itself is not published online, so confirm the accepted format with the Circuit Clerk before mailing a written request.
Clarke County Marriage Licenses
Couples who plan to marry in Clarke County apply for the license at the Circuit Clerk. The county FAQ tells applicants to bring a photo ID. Applicants under 21 need a parent's signature on the registration form. The office issues the license and then keeps the marriage record on file.
One piece of the county's published guidance is out of date. The local FAQ still mentions a blood-test receipt dated within 30 days. The Mississippi State Department of Health says a blood test has not been required since July 1, 2012. Call the Circuit Clerk before you apply so you arrive with the right paperwork.
Clarke County Circuit Clerk Fees
Clarke County has not published a copy-fee schedule for the Circuit Clerk. Plain copies, certified copies, and search fees are set by the office and can change over time. The safest step is to call the clerk for the current charge before you pay. One nearby fee is confirmed at the state level and appears in the table for context.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plain copy per page | Call the Circuit Clerk |
| Certified copy per page | Call the Circuit Clerk |
| Certification fee | Call the Circuit Clerk |
| Civil or criminal record search | Call the Circuit Clerk |
| State marriage record copy (MSDH, not the county clerk) | $17, confirm with MSDH before ordering |
The $17 figure is a Mississippi State Department of Health charge for a state marriage certificate. It is not a Clarke County counter fee, and the county office may charge a different amount for its own copies.
Clarke County Circuit Clerk Online Access
Clarke County does not run its own court-record website. Circuit Court files that are filed electronically appear through Mississippi Electronic Courts, the statewide system reached by public users through PAMEC. Clarke County Circuit Court joined the system on August 17, 2020. Cases and documents filed before that date may not appear online and can require a clerk's help.
Public users register, log in, and search by court and party. Access can carry a registration charge and a per-page viewing fee. Older paper files and any sealed or expunged matter stay off the public system. For the courtroom side of these cases, the Clarke County Circuit Court page explains how cases move and what each file holds.
The statewide help desk answers registration and login questions for public users. It can be reached by phone at 601-576-4650 or by email at helpdesk@mec.ms.gov. The Circuit Clerk also accepts mail for Circuit Court matters at P.O. Box 216, Quitman, MS 39355. A mailed request should name the case, the document, and a return address so the clerk can respond.
Mississippi's Public Records Act supports access to government records, though court files can still be restricted by sealing, expunction, or youth-court confidentiality. When no online record exists, a phone call or a written request to the Circuit Clerk is the reliable route.
Note: records filed with the Circuit Court before August 17, 2020 predate electronic filing in Clarke County and usually must be pulled at the clerk's counter.