Lauderdale County Landlord-Tenant Law

Lauderdale County Ordinances & Local Rules

Last verified: March 2026 · Source: Lauderdale County Court System

Mississippi State Law Framework

⚡ Quick Overview

3

Days Notice (Nonpayment)

14

Days Notice (Violation)

14-28

Avg Total Days

$75

Filing Fee (Approx)

💰 Nonpayment of Rent

Notice Type 3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate

Notice Period 3 days

Tenant Can Cure? Yes

Days to Hearing 3-7 days

Days to Writ 3-5 days

Total Estimated Timeline 14-28 days

Total Estimated Cost $75-$200

⚠️ Watch Out

Mississippi has two parallel eviction frameworks: Chapter 7 (§89-7-27, general/non-residential) and Chapter 8 (§89-8-13, Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For RESIDENTIAL tenants, §89-8-13(5) provides the 3-day notice for nonpayment. Tenant can stop the eviction by paying all unpaid rent and costs by the court-ordered move-out date. After judgment, court orders tenant to vacate within 7 days (§89-8-39(1)). Tenant has 72 hours after writ execution to remove personal property (§89-7-31). Filing fees typically $75-$100 depending on county. Notice can be delivered via email/text if tenant agreed in writing to receive notices that way.

📜 Eviction Laws Main 📊 Compare This State

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📝 Mississippi Eviction Process (Overview)

1. Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
2. Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
3. File an eviction case with the Justice Court / County Court. Pay the filing fee (~$75).
4. Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
5. Attend the court hearing and present your case.
6. If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
7. Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Mississippi eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice. Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections. For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Mississippi attorney or local legal aid organization.

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Underground Landlord

🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease: Mississippi landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding tenant screening in Mississippi — including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need Mississippi's eviction process, proper tenant screening can help you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.

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Lauderdale County Mississippi Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Meridian and East Mississippi Rental Property Owners

Lauderdale County is the commercial and governmental heart of east Mississippi, anchored by Meridian — a city with deep roots in the railroad era that has spent decades remaking itself around healthcare, military employment, and higher education. For landlords, Meridian presents a large, accessible rental market with low entry costs, strong renter demand, and a diverse tenant base ranging from military personnel and healthcare workers to students and Housing Choice Voucher recipients. The challenge in this market is selectivity: with a city poverty rate over 34%, thorough screening is non-negotiable, and understanding the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is essential for anyone renting near NAS Meridian or Key Field.

Meridian’s Economy and the Rental Tenant Pool

Meridian’s largest employment sectors are healthcare and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and manufacturing. The city’s two military installations — Naval Air Station Meridian, a primary jet pilot training facility, and Key Field Air National Guard base — are consistently among the county’s largest employers and have historically insulated the local economy from the sharper downturns that have hit comparable Mississippi cities. Military tenants bring reliable income but also bring SCRA obligations that landlords must understand before signing any lease with active-duty personnel.

Healthcare employment at Anderson Regional Medical Center and the surrounding network of clinics, Meridian Community College, the MSU Meridian Campus, and Peavey Electronics — the nationally known audio equipment manufacturer headquartered in Meridian — round out a workforce that is salaried and relatively stable at the upper end, but heavily service- and hourly-dependent in the broader economy. Downtown Meridian has seen genuine revitalization in recent years, with new restaurants, arts venues, and commercial investment reversing the decay that defined it for decades. Landlords with properties in or near downtown are seeing renewed interest from young professionals and working adults.

Filing Evictions: Lauderdale County Court in Meridian

Lauderdale County has a County Court with exclusive jurisdiction over unlawful entry and detainer proceedings. Circuit Clerk Donna Jill Johnson oversees County Court operations. The filing address is 500 Constitution Avenue (P.O. Box 1005), Meridian, MS 39302, main phone (601) 482-9731. The County Court clerk direct line is (601) 482-9715. Email: countycourt@lauderdalecounty.org. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Some county divisions are referenced at 2600 Courthouse Blvd — confirm the exact filing counter with the clerk before appearing.

All evictions begin with written notice. For nonpayment, serve a 3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate under Miss. Code Ann. § 89-7-27. For lease violations, a 14-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate is required under § 89-8-13. After the notice period expires, file a sworn Complaint for Unlawful Entry and Detainer. The court schedules a hearing within days of summons service, and the entire proceeding is capped at 45 days from filing. The Lauderdale County Sheriff enforces Writs of Possession. Keep complete documentation of all notices with proof of delivery — in a market with Meridian’s eviction volume, judges expect organized, properly served paperwork.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: What Lauderdale County Landlords Must Know

Because NAS Meridian and Key Field are major employers, a meaningful share of Lauderdale County tenants are active-duty military. The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides these tenants with significant legal protections that override standard Mississippi landlord-tenant law. Under the SCRA, an active-duty servicemember who receives orders for a permanent change of station (PCS), deployment of 90 days or more, or release from service can terminate a lease with 30 days written notice plus a copy of the orders — regardless of what the lease says. Landlords cannot charge early termination fees in these situations. Additionally, the SCRA restricts evictions of servicemembers for nonpayment of rent if the monthly rent is below a certain threshold (adjusted periodically), and courts may stay eviction proceedings involving active-duty personnel. Before serving a notice to quit or filing an eviction against any tenant who may be on active duty, landlords should verify military status through the Defense Manpower Data Center’s SCRA database at scra.dmdc.osd.mil. Proceeding against an active-duty servicemember without SCRA compliance can result in federal civil liability.

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Mississippi attorney or contact the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk at (601) 482-9731 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.