SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Smith County record-source URLs verified against the official local and Mississippi state publishers on the review date. 3 primary .gov / official sources cited below.
Smith County — Key Numbers (2026)
Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Smith County, Mississippi — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
14,051
Population
Census estimate
5,450
Households
Census estimate
$51,983
Median income
Annual household
$120,200
Median home value
Census ACS
Raleigh
County seat
In Mississippi
Criminal records
1 source
Court records
4 sources
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
2 sources
Vital records
see state portal
Voter records
see state portal
Professional licenses
see state portal
Recorded documents
1 source
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources One source Use state portal
Smith County Records at a Glance
| Record type | Smith County verified sources |
|---|---|
| Court records | IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF SMITH COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI State of Mississippi Judiciary |
| Criminal records | Mississippi Department of Public Safety |
| Wants & warrants | No verified source — see Smith County state portal below |
| Property records | Appraisal Link the Lee County, Mississippi online ... |
| Vital records | No verified source — see Smith County state portal below |
| Voter records | No verified source — see Smith County state portal below |
| Professional licenses | No verified source — see Smith County state portal below |
| Recorded documents | Chancery Court Clerks January 17, 2024 Adams County Chancery… |
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Smith County. Data verified June 04, 2026.
What Changed in 2026 — Smith County Records
2026
Smith County official government portal active
The official Smith County government website at www.smithcountyms.org continues to serve as the canonical local source.
2026
Smith County court records portal verified
State court system links for Smith County verified against the Mississippi judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
Smith County criminal records access
State criminal records repository for Smith County (statewide system, not county-specific) confirmed active in 2026.
2026
Smith County property records online
Smith County property assessment and recorder office online portal active in 2026.
The 4-Step Smith County Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Start at the Smith County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Smith County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the Mississippi statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the Mississippi state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Smith County Records
❌ Myth: "Smith County maintains all criminal records."
✓ Truth: False. Criminal records for Smith County are held by the Mississippi state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
❌ Myth: "Records sealed in Smith County are gone everywhere."
✓ Truth: False. Sealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
❌ Myth: "Free 'instant background' sites have Smith County data."
✓ Truth: False. Only the official Mississippi state repository has verified, current Smith County data. Free sites often have stale data.
❌ Myth: "The Smith County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
✓ Truth: False. The Smith County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
❌ Myth: "All county records older than 50 years are public."
✓ Truth: Partially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).
Primary Sources (All Verified)
- www.smithcountyms.org — Official Smith County government website
- courts.ms.gov — Court records — official source
- www.dps.ms.gov — Criminal records — official source
- fbi.gov — FBI Identity History Summary (federal record)
Related — Smith County & Mississippi Records
For records not specific to Smith County, use Mississippi's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 Mississippi statewide record systems:
- Mississippi Court Records →
- Mississippi Criminal Records →
- Mississippi Property Records →
- Mississippi Vital Records →
- Mississippi Voter Records →
- Mississippi Wants & Warrants →
- Mississippi Licenses →
- Mississippi Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
Mississippi statewide records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National directories: Court records · Criminal records · Property records · Vital records · Federal databases
About Smith County, Mississippi
Smith County is located in central Mississippi. The county seat is Raleigh (official site: http://www.smithcountyms.org/).
- Population: 14,051
- Households: 5,450
- Median household income: $51,983
- Median home value: $120,200
- Below poverty line: 18.2%
- Land area: 636.3 sq mi
- Population density: 22.1 people / sq mi
- Public libraries indexed: 3
- NCES schools indexed: 6
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF SMITH COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
Official Free
SMITH COUNTY. MS · On the Court's own motion and pursuant to that certain Administrative Order entered by · the Mississippi Supreme Court in Cause No. 2011-0001, dated May 26, 2011, the Court hereby · approves the use of the Mississippi Electronic Courts (NIEC) system in the Chancery Court of
State of Mississippi Judiciary
Official Free
The site provides access to all the current laws of the state through the searchable Mississippi Code. All rules of the state court system are available online. The catalog of the legal collections of the State Library is available. Court statistics and administrative data back to 1996 are available in annual reports.
Chancery Courts - State of Mississippi Judiciary
Official Free
Chancery Courts have jurisdiction over disputes in matters involving equity; domestic matters including adoptions, custody disputes and divorces; guardianships; sanity hearings; wills; and challenges to constitutionality of state laws. Land records are filed in Chancery Court .
Public Access to Court Electronic Records | PACER: Federal Court Records
Criminal & Court Records
.gov
Federal court electronic records (Public Access to Court Electronic Records).
pacer.gov
Appraisal Link
Official Free
Property Appraisal SMITH COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI · Access to Appraisal, Property Tax, and Deeds & Record Indexes is subscription based: $30/monthly $330/annually Deeds are indexed back to 1980 Deeds of Trusts back to 2007
the Lee County, Mississippi online ...
Official Free
Welcome to the Lee County, Mississippi online record search. This search engine will return property tax, appraisal and other information of record in Lee County. The information is uploaded to this server frequently but may lag behind actual activity at the courthouse · To begin your search, ...
Mississippi Department of Public Safety
Official Free
Log in to the federal Judiciary’s electronic public access services. Close PACER Case Locator PACER Log in Manage PACER Account
Public Sex Offender Registry
Official Free
Offenders are required to pay an $11.00 registration fee each time they register . There is no requirement to pay fines on the account before registering. Fines are only necessary to resolve a license suspension. The Driver Service Bureau strongly recommends that all applicants schedule an ...
Chancery Court Clerks January 17, 2024 Adams County Chancery Court Clerk
Official Free
Simpson County Chancery Court Clerk · Tim Gary · P.O. Box 367 · Mendenhall, MS 39114 · Phone: 601-847-2626 Fax: 601-847-7004 · Smith County Chancery Court Clerk · Cindy Austin · P.O. Box 39 · Raleigh, MS 39153 · Phone: 601-782-9811 Fax: 601-782-4690 ·
smith county, mississippi
Official Free
Access to Appraisal, Property Tax, and Deeds & Record Indexes is subscription based: $30/monthly $330/annually · To subscribe, first create an account. Then choose a subscription(credit card required)
Smith County
Official Free
Field notes are the narrative record of the cadastral survey . They are written in tabular format and contain the detailed descriptions of entire survey process including the instrumentation and procedures utilized, calling all physical evidence evaluated in the survey process, and listing all ...
Departments - Smith County, Mississippi
Official Free
EMA/E-911 Jimmy Burns, EMA Director PO Box 1107 Raleigh, MS 39153 Phone: 601-782-9151 Fax: 601-782-4081 ema@co.smith.ms.us Mississippi State University Extension Service Tina Phillipson, County Director PO Box 127 Raleigh, MS 39153 Phone: 601-7824454 Fax: 601-782-9488 smith@ext.msstate.edu Office Staff: Carla Lee Veterans Affairs Randy Creel, Officer PO Box 252 Raleigh, MS 39153 Phone: 601-782-9222 Fax:
Mississippi Business Reports
Business, Voter & Other
.gov
Mississippi SOS business search.
corp.sos.ms.gov
Vital Records - Mississippi State Department of Health
Official Free
MSDH produces vital statistics reports based on annual vital records data, and also offers online queries of vital statistics by year. Mississippi State Department of Health • 570 East Woodrow Wilson Dr • Jackson, MS 39216 • 866‑HLTHY4U • Contact and information
Voter Registration Information | MS SOS
Official Free
This section of our website is designated to provide Mississippi voters the information you need to engage in our elections process. Here you will find information on registering to vote, absentee voting, and answers to commonly asked elections questions.
Smith County Chancery Clerk - Mississippi
Official Free
Assumed name (DBA) filings are recorded with the Smith County Chancery Clerk at (601) 782-4751 and are public records searchable at their office . For formal business entities like LLCs and corporations, search the Mississippi Secretary of State's ...
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up court cases in Smith County?
Smith County court cases are filed with the Circuit Clerk. Search the IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF SMITH COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI portal: https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mecnews/2018/Order%20Approving%20Use%20of%20MEC%20System%20-%20Smith%20Chancery.pdf. For federal matters, see PACER.
Does an arrest show up on a background check before conviction in Mississippi?
Yes — in Mississippi, an arrest can appear on a name-based background check from the moment of booking, even before any court ruling. Whether it appears on an employment screening depends on the type of check (name-based vs. fingerprint-based) and how recent the arrest is.
Can my employer see a sealed record in Mississippi?
Generally, most private employers running a standard name-based check cannot see a sealed Mississippi record. However, government employers, law enforcement, schools, healthcare facilities, and any role requiring a fingerprint-based check can see sealed records under specific statutory exemptions. Confirm specifics with the sealing court.
How do I run a Mississippi background check?
Mississippi background checks are handled by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. Name-based searches are available through the official state portal (per-search fee applies). Fingerprint-based checks — required for licensing, foster care, and many employers — must be submitted through an approved vendor.