Coahoma County Circuit Court Overview
Circuit Court is Mississippi's primary trial court for serious cases. It hears felony criminal prosecutions and general civil lawsuits. The bench also takes appeals from County, Justice, and Municipal Courts and from some administrative boards. In Coahoma County the court sits in Clarksdale at the main courthouse on First Street. Filings, dockets, and judgments all pass through the Circuit Clerk. The clerk keeps the official paper for both Circuit Court and County Court cases.
Coahoma County belongs to the Eleventh Circuit Court District. That district covers four Delta counties. The same elected circuit judges travel the district and hold terms in each county seat. A felony indictment, a large civil suit, or an appeal from a lower court can all land on the Circuit Court docket. The clerk's office is the front counter for those files, and it accepts filings year round.
The Eleventh Circuit Court District
The Eleventh Circuit Court District groups Coahoma with Bolivar, Quitman, and Tunica Counties. This regional design is common across Mississippi. Judges and the district attorney serve the whole district rather than one county. Court terms rotate through each county courthouse on a set calendar.
The Mississippi Judiciary describes the trial bench on its official Circuit Court page.
Coahoma County Circuit Court applies the same felony and civil rules that govern every circuit district in the state. Because the district is regional, a Coahoma case may share a judge's calendar with cases from neighboring counties. That can shape when a term opens in Clarksdale. The Circuit Clerk posts local term dates and handles the paperwork between terms.
The Eleventh District also sets up Coahoma's place in the broader court map. The Chancery side belongs to a separate 7th Chancery District. The County Court, the Justice Court, and the Clarksdale Municipal Court each keep their own dockets. A reader who understands this split can route a request to the right office on the first try.
Felony Cases in Coahoma County Circuit Court
Felony prosecutions are the heart of the Circuit Court criminal docket. A felony is a serious crime that can bring more than a year in prison. Murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and burglary are common examples. Most of these cases reach Circuit Court by grand jury indictment.
A felony case file can hold many parts. The affidavit, the warrant or capias, the bond, and the arraignment all appear. Pleas, motions, continuances, and trial settings follow. The verdict, the sentence, and any fines, costs, restitution, or probation terms close out the record. A typical Coahoma County criminal case file includes the items below.
- Indictment or information
- Bond and arraignment records
- Pleas and pretrial motions
- Trial settings and continuances
- Verdict, sentence, and court costs
The District Attorney prosecutes these matters for the State of Mississippi. A felony usually starts with an arrest, then a first appearance, then a preliminary hearing in Justice or County Court. The grand jury reviews the evidence and votes on an indictment. Only after that step does the full felony case open on the Circuit Court docket. The clerk assigns a case number and tracks each filing from arraignment to sentencing.
Civil Lawsuits and Circuit Court Appeals
Circuit Court also hears general civil lawsuits. These are money and injury disputes that fall outside the equity work of Chancery Court. Contract claims, personal injury suits, and property damage cases are typical. There is no upper dollar limit on a Circuit Court civil case.
The court is the local appeals stop for cases that began lower. An appeal from County, Justice, or Municipal Court moves up to Circuit Court for review. Some administrative board decisions land here too. From Circuit Court, a further appeal goes to the Mississippi Court of Appeals or Supreme Court. Case progress and term settings are tracked on the Coahoma County court dockets.
A civil judgment can carry over into collection. Garnishments and executions are recorded by the same clerk who opened the suit. A civil court file may hold the complaint, the summons, the answer, motions, hearing notices, orders, the judgment, and any appeal papers. Reading the docket in order shows how the dispute moved from filing to final ruling.
Courts Serving Coahoma County
Coahoma County splits its court work across five benches. Each one handles a defined set of cases. Knowing the right bench saves a wasted trip to the wrong counter. The table below lists each court, what it hears, where it sits, and its phone line.
| Court | Jurisdiction | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court | Felony cases, civil lawsuits, appeals from lower courts | 115 First Street, Clarksdale; P.O. Box 849 | 662-624-3014 |
| County Court | Civil up to $200,000, misdemeanors, transferred felonies, Youth Court, eminent domain | 115 First Street, Clarksdale | 662-624-3014 |
| Chancery Court | Divorce, custody, probate, estates, guardianships, land disputes, equity | 115 First Street, Clarksdale; P.O. Box 98 | 662-624-3000 |
| Justice Court | Small claims to $3,500, county traffic, misdemeanors, warrants, preliminary hearings | 1 Justice Drive, Suite 2, Clarksdale | 662-624-3060 |
| Municipal Court | City traffic, municipal ordinances, city misdemeanors | 121 Sunflower, Clarksdale; P.O. Box 940 | 662-621-8136 |
The state outlines the lower bench on its official Justice Court page.
Coahoma County Justice Court records cover small claims, county traffic, and misdemeanor matters before any of them can reach a higher court. Justice Court also holds the preliminary hearing that can send a felony up to the grand jury.
County Court and the Coahoma Circuit Court
Coahoma County Court works closely with Circuit Court. It shares civil jurisdiction with the Circuit and Chancery Courts where the amount in dispute is $200,000 or less. It also hears misdemeanors and felony preliminary hearings. The Circuit Court can transfer a non-capital felony down to County Court for trial.
County Court runs a Youth Court division as well. That division has exclusive power over cases involving a child under eighteen who is alleged to be delinquent, neglected, abused, or in need of supervision. Eminent domain cases also belong to County Court. Judge Hon. C. Kent Haney presides, and Court Administrator and Reporter Rhodes Shaffett, reached at 662-624-3036, handles scheduling.
Mississippi explains this middle bench on its official County Court page.
Coahoma County Court records for these transferred and shared cases are kept by the same Circuit Clerk who files Circuit Court matters.
Circuit vs County vs Justice Court
The three trial benches differ most in the size of the case. Circuit Court takes the most serious matters. County Court sits in the middle. Justice Court handles the smallest claims and local offenses. The comparison below lays out the main lines.
| Circuit Court | County Court | Justice Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Types | Felonies, major civil suits, appeals | Mid-size civil, misdemeanors, Youth Court | Small claims, evictions, county traffic |
| Civil Limit | No upper limit | Up to $200,000 | Up to $3,500 |
| Criminal Scope | Felony prosecutions | Misdemeanors, transferred felonies, prelim hearings | Misdemeanors, prelim felony hearings |
| Appeals | Hears appeals; appealed to Court of Appeals | Appealed to Circuit Court | Appealed to County or Circuit Court |
Note: A capital felony stays in Circuit Court and cannot be transferred down to County Court for trial under Mississippi law.
How a Case Moves Through the System
A case rarely starts and ends in one court. Most criminal and civil matters climb a ladder. The path depends on the charge or claim and on the court that first heard it. A small ticket and a felony enter at very different rungs.
Appeal path: Justice or Municipal Court › County Court › Circuit Court › Court of Appeals › Supreme Court
The Mississippi Judiciary describes city benches on its official Municipal Court page.
A Clarksdale Municipal Court conviction can be appealed up to County or Circuit Court for a fresh review. The same upward path applies to a Justice Court ruling. Once a case reaches Circuit Court, the next stop is the state appellate bench.
Coahoma County Circuit Clerk Case Files
The Circuit Clerk is the keeper of Circuit and County Court records in Coahoma County. Demetria Jackson holds the office. The clerk files lawsuits, indictments, motions, and judgments, issues process such as summons and subpoenas, draws juries, and records executions. The office is the first stop for a certified copy of a case file. You can also request a record from the Coahoma County Circuit Clerk by mail.
Coahoma County Circuit Clerk
115 First Street
P.O. Box 849
Clarksdale, MS 38614
662-624-3014
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Many of these files are also online. Mississippi Electronic Courts is the statewide e-filing and case-management system. The public side, Mississippi Electronic Courts, lets a registered user read dockets and view documents in Circuit, Chancery, and County Court. Users sign up through the PAMEC registration page, where registration and fees apply. A courthouse public terminal remains the in-person fallback for anyone who cannot register or pay remote fees.
Prosecution and Defense Context
Felony cases in Circuit Court are prosecuted by the District Attorney. Brenda F. Mitchell serves the Eleventh Circuit Court District, which covers Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, and Tunica Counties. The office represents the State before the grand jury and at trial. The main district attorney office is based in Cleveland, and assistant district attorneys are assigned to each county in the district. For Coahoma, the prosecutor steps in once a charge is forwarded for felony review.
A defendant who cannot afford a lawyer may ask for appointed counsel. In Coahoma County that request goes to the judge or the clerk handling the case. The Office of State Public Defender supports indigent defense across Mississippi. Appointment of counsel is a court process, not a record search.
Note: Statewide electronic filing for Chancery, Circuit, and County Courts was completed in 2025, which brings Coahoma trial-court access into the central system.