Mississippi Small Claims Court
Owed money in Mississippi? Here's the dollar limit, the court that hears it, what filing costs — and a free demand letter to send first, which resolves many disputes without a case. Free, no signup.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Mississippi small claims · as of 2026
- Maximum claim
- $3,500
- Court
- Justice Court (county-level court; no separate small claims division)
- Filing fee
- Varies by county; typically ~$50-$100 total including service on one defendant (clerk fees set under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-25). Check the county Justice Court clerk.
- Lawyers at the hearing
- Allowed but not required.
Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9 · verify ↗. Limits and fees change — confirm with the Justice Court (county-level court; no separate small claims division) clerk before filing.
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How to file in Mississippi — the short version
- Demand first. Send the letter above by a trackable method and keep proof — judges expect it, and it often gets you paid without a case.
- File with the Justice Court (county-level court; no separate small claims division) where the defendant lives or the dispute happened. Fee: Varies by county; typically ~$50-$100 total including service on one defendant (clerk fees set under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-25). Check the county Justice Court clerk..
- Serve the defendant the way Mississippi rules require (clerk, sheriff, certified mail, or process server — ask the clerk). Bad service is the #1 way cases get thrown out.
- Bring evidence: contracts, invoices, photos, messages, this demand letter and its delivery proof, and any witnesses.
- Collect. If you win and they don't pay, ask the clerk about garnishment, levy, and liens.
Check the current Mississippi small claims rules before filing.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I sue for in Mississippi small claims court?
The limit is $3,500 (as of 2026). $3,500 — the civil jurisdictional ceiling of the Justice Court (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9). Mississippi has no separate small claims court; Justice Court fills that role. Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9. If you're owed more, you can sue in the regular civil court instead — or waive the excess and stay in small claims, which is usually faster and cheaper.
Where do I file?
In Mississippi, small claims cases are heard by the Justice Court (county-level court; no separate small claims division), generally in the county (or district) where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened. Filing fee: Varies by county; typically ~$50-$100 total including service on one defendant (clerk fees set under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-25). Check the county Justice Court clerk.. Check the exact venue rule when you file — filing in the wrong place gets cases dismissed.
Can I bring a lawyer?
In Mississippi: Allowed but not required.. Either way, small claims procedure is deliberately informal — you present your story, your documents, and your witnesses directly to the judge.
What happens if I win but they don't pay?
A judgment isn't a check — if the defendant doesn't pay voluntarily, you enforce it: wage garnishment, bank levy, or property liens, depending on Mississippi law. The court clerk can point you to the forms. Judgments also accrue interest and stay enforceable for years, so a stubborn debtor doesn't run out the clock quickly.
How does Mississippi compare? See the small claims limits in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute.
How Mississippi compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Mississippi: Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9 ↗.
- Small claims limit
Small claims limit: $3,500 — well under the national median of $10,000 across the 51 states with a statutory rule.
Ranked #50 of 51 states — higher means larger disputes can use the small claims process.
No other state uses exactly this figure.
Small claims limit in neighboring states — Alabama ($6,000), Arkansas ($5,000), Louisiana ($5,000), Tennessee ($25,000). Mississippi's $3,500 is the shortest among its neighbors.
The rest of what Mississippi requires
The figures below are Mississippi's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Mississippi page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- No statutory limit Miss. Code §89-8-21 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 45 days after move-out Miss. Code §89-8-21 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 30 days Miss. Code §89-8-21 ↗
- Notice for unpaid rent · as of 2026
- 3 days to pay or quit Miss. Code §§ 89-8-13, 89-8-19 ↗
- Notice to cure a lease violation · as of 2026
- 14 days Miss. Code §§ 89-8-13, 89-8-19 ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- No statutory limit Mississippi Code ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Mississippi DOR / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization recommended Miss. Code §87-3-101 et seq. ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Miss. Code § 79-29-105(t) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- Chancery Clerk (of the county where the land lies) · no witnesses Miss. Code § 89-3-1 ↗
Small claims guide in other states
More Mississippi legal forms
Different state? See small claims rules by state →