Leflore County Landlord-Tenant Law

Mississippi landlord guide — county ordinances, courthouse info & local rules

Leflore County Rental Market Overview

Leflore County lies deep in the Mississippi Delta, where the Tallahatchie and Yalobusha Rivers converge at Greenwood to form the headwaters of the Yazoo. The county’s landscape is the quintessential Delta — flat, fertile, and steeped in cotton agriculture, civil rights history, and the Blues tradition. Greenwood gave the world Robert Johnson, Stokely Carmichael’s Black Power speech on its streets in 1966, and the Grand Boulevard, which the U.S. Chambers of Commerce has called one of America’s ten most beautiful streets. The county is also home to Viking Range Corporation, the premium kitchen appliance manufacturer that began in Greenwood in the 1980s and whose arrival represented one of the Delta’s more notable economic success stories of that era. Mississippi Valley State University, located just outside Itta Bena in the northwestern part of the county, adds a higher education presence that generates some modest rental demand in and around Itta Bena and the western county.

The rental market in Leflore County is shaped by the same forces that have defined the Delta for generations: a historically high poverty rate, a predominantly Black population that has seen significant out-migration over the decades, a shrinking but persistent agricultural and manufacturing employment base, and government and healthcare employment as the anchor of middle-income stability. Greenwood’s population has declined from over 20,000 in the mid-20th century to roughly 13,000 today. Median rent runs around $700 per month. Despite having a County Court, eviction proceedings in Leflore County are handled by Justice Court — the County Court’s jurisdiction is limited to eminent domain and juvenile matters.

Leflore County Ordinances & Local Rules

Last verified: March 2026 · Source: Leflore County Justice Court

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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🔍 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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Leflore County Mississippi Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in Greenwood and the Delta

Leflore County sits at the heart of the Mississippi Delta, where the Tallahatchie and Yalobusha rivers meet at Greenwood to create the Yazoo. It is one of the Delta’s most historically significant counties — a place where the cotton economy ran deeper than almost anywhere else in the nation, where the civil rights movement had some of its most consequential battles, and where the American Blues tradition laid some of its deepest roots. Robert Johnson was from Leflore County. Emmett Till was killed in the county community of Money in 1955. Stokely Carmichael gave his Black Power speech on Greenwood’s streets in 1966. These are not merely historical footnotes — they are the context in which a rental market exists today, and they shape the social and economic fabric that landlords in Leflore County navigate.

The Greenwood Economy: Viking Range, Healthcare, and Government

The Leflore County economy has contracted significantly since the mid-20th century peak of its cotton production era, but several anchors have provided stability. Viking Range Corporation — founded in Greenwood in the 1980s as a manufacturer of professional-grade kitchen appliances — became one of the most significant economic development stories in the modern Delta, employing hundreds of workers and putting the Greenwood name on premium kitchen equipment in homes across the country. Greenwood Leflore Hospital, a 208-bed acute care facility, provides healthcare employment and serves as the primary regional medical center. County and municipal government, the Greenwood-Leflore Consolidated School District, Mississippi Delta Community College, and retail services round out the local employment landscape.

The county’s poverty rate is severe — Leflore County has been documented as having the highest child poverty rate of any county in the United States. This is not a statistical abstraction for landlords: it means that a substantial portion of the renter population is operating at or near their income limits, that Housing Choice Voucher participation is common, and that income verification and careful tenant screening are not optional precautions but essential business practices. The most stable tenant profiles in Leflore County are salaried government, healthcare, and university workers who maintain consistent paychecks regardless of agricultural cycles or manufacturing shifts.

Filing Evictions: Justice Court in Greenwood

An important distinction for Leflore County landlords: while the county has a County Court, that court’s jurisdiction is limited to eminent domain proceedings and juvenile matters. Evictions — unlawful entry and detainer proceedings — are filed in Leflore County Justice Court, not County Court. The Justice Court is located at the Leflore County Courthouse, 306 West Market Street (P.O. Box 8056), Greenwood, MS 38935. Three district judges preside: Hon. James E. Campbell (Northern District), Hon. James K. Littleton III (Central District), and Hon. Carlos D. Palmer (Southern District). Department Head Larresia Hunt has administered the Justice Court clerk’s office since 2000. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Do not file evictions with the County Court (Kevin A. Adams, P.O. Box 452, Greenwood, phone (662) 455-7945) — that office handles eminent domain and youth court matters only. Filing in the wrong court will delay your case.

The eviction process begins 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 under § 89-8-13. After the notice period expires, file a sworn Complaint for Unlawful Entry and Detainer with the Justice Court clerk. The Leflore County Sheriff serves the summons and enforces any Writ of Possession. An uncontested case typically resolves in two to eight weeks from filing. A tenant who pays all rent, fees, and court costs before the writ issues may stay the proceedings under § 89-7-45 — document all payments and communications meticulously.

Mississippi Valley State University and the Itta Bena Rental Market

Mississippi Valley State University, located in an unincorporated area adjacent to Itta Bena in the northwestern part of the county, enrolls approximately 2,400 students and generates some off-campus rental demand in Itta Bena and the western county area. MVSU is a historically Black university and one of Mississippi’s public institutions. Landlords near the campus should structure leases on a 12-month basis to avoid summer vacancy, require a creditworthy parental co-signer for student tenants, and verify guarantor income at three times the annual rent. The Derrick Beard Act (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-29) permits a co-signer to terminate a lease upon the primary lessee’s death — a provision worth understanding when structuring any guarantor arrangement in the student rental market.

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Mississippi attorney or contact Leflore County Justice Court for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.