Search Clarke County Marriage and Divorce Records

Getting a Marriage License in Clarke County

A Clarke County marriage license comes from the Circuit Clerk. Sally Wedgeworth runs that office, and her staff issues licenses and keeps the county's marriage records. Both partners apply in person at the Circuit Clerk counter at 101 S Archusa Ave in Quitman. The office answers at 601-776-3111. That same office handles criminal history, civil filings, judgments, and voter records, so call ahead and say you are coming for a marriage license. The clerk is the only county office that issues one. A short courthouse trip is part of the process, and a quick call first helps it go smoothly.

Bring a valid picture ID. The county FAQ tells every applicant to carry a photo ID to the counter. Age matters too. Applicants under 21 must get a parent's signature on the registration form before the license is issued. Mississippi does not run a statewide residency rule for a marriage license, so couples from other counties or states may still apply here. The clerk sets the local steps, the fee, and the daily hours. Verify all of it by phone, because county web pages do not always show the current rule.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

A little prep keeps the visit short. The license is issued by the county, so plan one in-person trip with both partners and the right paperwork. These steps follow the confirmed Clarke County requirements.

1. Call the Circuit Clerk at 601-776-3111 first. Ask about the current fee, accepted ID, and whether the old blood test note still applies.
2. Both partners go to the Circuit Clerk office at 101 S Archusa Ave in Quitman together. The license needs both people present.
3. Bring a valid government photo ID for each applicant. The county directs every applicant to carry a picture ID.
4. If either applicant is under 21, bring a parent to sign the registration form, as the county requires.
5. Complete and sign the marriage registration form at the counter.
6. Pay the license fee. Ask which payment methods the office takes before you arrive.

Clarke County Marriage License Requirements

Clarke County does not post a blank marriage license application online, so the exact form fields are not published. What the county does confirm is a short set of requirements. The table lists only those confirmed items, not guessed-at form boxes.

Note: Treat the blood test line as unsettled until the Circuit Clerk confirms it by phone, since the county and state pages disagree.

Clarke County Marriage and Divorce Fees

No local fee schedule for a Clarke County marriage license appears on official county pages. The clerk sets and collects that fee, so a phone call gives the current amount. Only the state copy fee is published. The table sorts out who charges what.

Divorce filing costs and certified decree copies are not listed on county pages either. The Chancery Clerk quotes those when you call. Confirm the $17 state copy price with the state office before you order, since published rates can change.

How to Look Up Clarke County Marriage Records

County marriage records stay with the Circuit Clerk who issued the license. For a certified copy that covers the whole state, the Mississippi State Department of Health keeps marriage records through its Vital Records office. The MSDH marriage records page explains how to order and warns that not every marriage record may be on file.

That page routes most copy orders to the state Vital Records office rather than the county counter. Either way, have the basics ready before you start.

To find a marriage record, you usually need the full names of both spouses, the date or year of the marriage, and the county where the license was issued. The state Vital Records office answers at 601-206-8200, and orders or questions also go to VRInfo@msdh.ms.gov. The county counter can confirm whether a Clarke license exists when the state file is thin or missing.

Two paths exist for the same record. The Circuit Clerk holds the original Clarke County license and registration, while the state office issues certified copies that work across Mississippi. Many couples need the state copy for a name change, a passport, or a benefits claim. Start with the office that fits your purpose, and keep the spouses' full legal names and the marriage date handy either way.

How to Find Clarke County Divorce Records

Divorce is an equity matter, so it is filed in Clarke County Chancery Court, not Circuit Court. The Chancery Clerk holds the case file. Leanne Volking runs that office at 101 S Archusa Ave in Quitman, and the phone line is 601-776-2126. Email goes to chancery@clarkecountyms.gov. The county FAQ also points divorce record requests to the Chancery Clerk, so this is the right counter for a decree or a full case file.

Some Chancery cases are searchable through Mississippi Electronic Courts, known as PAMEC. Clarke County Chancery Court joined that system on November 1, 2015, so newer e-filed divorce cases may appear online with registration. Older files predate the system and may need clerk help or an in-person visit. The table shows the basic search path and the fallback when online access falls short.

A divorce file can hold the complaint, notices, orders, and the final decree. Sensitive parts may be sealed or redacted. Child custody details, minor names, and financial identifiers are often protected, so the public version of a file may not show everything.

Filing for Divorce in Clarke County

Filing happens in Chancery Court, never in Circuit Court. The Chancery Clerk takes the paperwork and opens the case. Mississippi expects a residency tie before a divorce can move forward, and state references point to a six-month residency requirement. Confirm your own timeline with the clerk, since the rule can turn on where each spouse has lived.

Mississippi recognizes both no-fault divorce, based on irreconcilable differences, and fault-based grounds. The legal grounds and the forms can get complex, so self-represented filers should ask the Chancery Clerk about filing mechanics and which papers the court needs. The clerk cannot give legal advice, but staff can explain the office's process and the current filing fee. Contested cases move slower than agreed ones, and a judge signs the final decree once the court is satisfied.

Certified Copies in Clarke County

A certified copy carries an official seal, which courts, name-change requests, and many agencies require. A plain printout will not pass in those settings. The state lets you order marriage copies without a courthouse visit. MSDH handles online and phone orders through VitalChek.

That ordering path runs through VitalChek for online and phone requests, while the same Vital Records office takes orders by phone at 601-206-8200. For a certified divorce decree, skip the state and call the Chancery Clerk at 601-776-2126, since that office keeps the Clarke case file. Ask about copy fees and processing time before you send payment.

Mississippi Vital Records Office

Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates all run through one state office. The MSDH vital records landing page is the starting point for a statewide search. It links the marriage and divorce paths and the order forms in one place.

That landing page is where most statewide marriage copy orders begin, and it notes that not all marriage records may be on file. When the state file comes up short, the Clarke County clerk who holds the original record is the next stop. Use the contact below to start a state order or to ask which records the office keeps.