Purchasing Resources for Mississippi Public Records

Mississippi Public Records Laws and Regulations

Learn about agencies that control and provide access to MS public records
By Emmet McMahan

Mississippi public records laws and regulations provide access to government records like budget reports and meeting minutes. They also allow public access to records on individuals, such as Mississippi vital records and criminal records.
 

Laws for public records in MS can be classified by the type of public records that they affect. These include the three following categories:

1. Laws on public records for MS that address the way in which these records can be accessed. These laws control issues such as the requirement for providing a reason for the information, specifying fees that an agency may charge and stating the length of time that the state is allowed to respond to a request for information.
2. Laws that specify an individual's information that may be considered public. These laws affect the way in which individuals may access their own information and how they may allow access by another party, seen in background checks.
3. Laws that control the government records that the public may access. These laws may be intended to keep individuals informed on government decisions or allow journalists to report on government activity.

Examine the laws that control access to Mississippi public records

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for Mississippi is a law that typically guides access to Mississippi court records and is usually handled by the attorney general's office. Vital records such as Mississippi birth records may also be obtained from municipal and county courts.
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The Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information provides a variety of legal resources on public records, including a synopsis of the Freedom of Information Act for Mississippi. The Mississippi Ethics Commission provides the full text of the Public Records Act for Mississippi.

Study the laws that affect Mississippi public records for individuals

Public records laws control access to bankruptcy records in Mississippi and Mississippi arrest records for individuals. Some of these records may only be accessible to a designated individual or a party.
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The Mississippi Department of Corrections provides the laws on obtaining inmate records in Mississippi. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety provides the resources for laws on accessing criminal records.

Review the Mississippi public records laws that affect government records

Government records laws allow access to records such as real estate sales, budget reports and meeting minutes. Some government entities may specialize in one particular type of record, while others may provide access to many different types of government records.
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The Mississippi Office of the Attorney General provides extensive information on the laws that control access to government records. Madison County provides a FAQ on accessing government records in that county.

• A Mississippi records search is generally guided by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This federal legislation was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966. The FOIA was amended by the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments in 1996, which controls the electronic access the public has to these records.