Mississippi Process Server | Service of Process

New

Priority

First attempt within 3 days

A faster path to resolution for cases with a deadline.

$118

per party in Mississippi

Standard

First attempt within the first week

Our proven process with flexible timing.

$88

per party in Mississippi

Rush

First attempt within 48 hours

Front of the line, first attempt for cases that simply can't wait.

$153

per party in Mississippi

How service of process works in Mississippi

Mississippi sets specific rules for how legal documents must be delivered, and defective service is one of the most common ways cases get delayed. Every rule below is built into ABC Legal's platform, so your serve is compliant by default. Expand any method to see the rule, and exactly what it means for your case.

Personal service—the gold standard Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(1)-(2), 4(d)(1)(A)

Personal service means handing the summons and complaint directly to the defendant, or to an agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive process. A sheriff, or any person who is not a party and is at least 18 years old, may deliver it. This is the primary, most defensible method for reaching an individual under Rule 4.

by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to him personally or to an agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process — Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(1)-(2), 4(d)(1)(A)

With ABC Legal: a vetted server makes the first attempt on your tier's timeline—as fast as 48 hours—and EvidenceChain™ records the GPS location and timestamp of the exact delivery moment.

Substituted service Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1)(B)

Only after personal service cannot be made with reasonable diligence may the server leave the papers at the defendant's usual place of abode with a spouse or other family member above sixteen who is willing to receive them, then mail a copy to that address. Service is deemed complete on the tenth day after that mailing.

by leaving a copy of the summons and complaint at the defendant's usual place of abode with the defendant's spouse or some other person of the defendant's family above the age of sixteen years who is willing to receive service — Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1)(B)

With ABC Legal: courts only accept substituted service after documented diligence. Our app geotags and timestamps every attempt automatically, so your diligence record is built before you need it.

Service by mail Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(3)

Mail service is available for individuals and entities. The sender mails the summons and complaint by first-class mail with two copies of a notice and acknowledgment on Form 1-B and a prepaid return envelope. If the defendant does not sign and return the acknowledgment within twenty days, the plaintiff must serve by another method allowed under Rule 4.

A summons and complaint may be served upon a defendant of any class referred to in paragraph (1) or (4) of subdivision (d) of this rule by mailing a copy of the summons and of the complaint (by first-class mail, postage prepaid) to the person to be served, together with two copies of a notice and acknowledgment — Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(3)

With ABC Legal: we recommend personal service first—it starts deadlines immediately and never depends on the recipient cooperating.

Service by publication Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(4)

Publication is a last resort, in chancery court or where a statute authorizes it, used when a sworn complaint or affidavit shows the defendant is a nonresident or cannot be found on diligent inquiry. The clerk publishes the summons once each week for three successive weeks. The defendant then has thirty days from first publication to appear and defend.

The publication of said summons shall be made once in each week during three successive weeks in a public newspaper of the county — Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(4)

With ABC Legal: our skip tracing team locates most "unfindable" defendants before you ever pay for publication—and if it truly comes to that, your ABC attempt history is the diligence evidence the motion needs.

Serving a corporation or LLC Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(4)

Serve a corporation, partnership, or other unincorporated association by delivering the summons and complaint to an officer, a managing or general agent, or any agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive process. An LLC is reached through this same registered-agent route, since the rule does not name LLCs but does cover agents authorized by law.

Upon a domestic or foreign corporation or upon a partnership or other unincorporated association which is subject to suit under a common name, by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to an officer, a managing or general agent, or to any other agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process. — Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(4)

With ABC Legal: we verify the current registered agent against state records before dispatch, so the serve lands on the right desk the first time.

Serving a government entity Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(5)-(8)

Government service depends on the entity. Serve the State or its departments, officers, or institutions through the Attorney General. Serve a county by delivering to the president or clerk of the board of supervisors, and a municipality through its mayor or municipal clerk. Any other governmental entity is served on the officer or body responsible for its administration.

Upon the State of Mississippi or any one of its departments, officers or institutions, by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to the Attorney General of the State of Mississippi. — Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(5)-(8)

With ABC Legal: our servers handle city, county, and state entity serves routinely—and know exactly which office actually accepts them.

The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Statutes and court rules change, and their application varies by case and venue — verify current requirements with the applicable court or consult a licensed attorney. Statutory references on this page were last reviewed September, 2026.

Serving every kind of legal document in Mississippi

Different case types carry different rules and timelines.

Summons & complaint

The document that opens most lawsuits — and proper, provable service is what gives the court jurisdiction to proceed. We serve it fast and return court-ready proof.

Serving a summons & complaint in Mississippi

Citation & petition

Family law, probate, and estate cases start here. We serve respondents and interested parties discreetly and on the court's timeline.

Serving a citation & petition in Mississippi

Writs

Turn a judgment into recovery. We serve writs of execution, possession, and attachment on sheriffs, employers, and third parties — accurate the first time.

Serving a writ in Mississippi

Garnishments

Wage and bank garnishment orders served on the employer or institution with the precision the process demands, so collection starts without procedural do-overs.

Serving a garnishment in Mississippi

Eviction

Eviction runs on short, unforgiving clocks. We serve notices to vacate and unlawful-detainer papers correctly and document every attempt so the case stays on schedule.

Serving eviction papers in Mississippi

Family law

Divorce, custody, and support cases turn on valid service. We serve petitions and summonses discreetly, with the care and documentation these sensitive matters require.

Serving family law papers in Mississippi

Registered process servers for every Mississippi court

Our Mississippi network serves filings from every trial court in the state, including the busiest venues:

Hinds County Circuit Court Jackson

Harrison County Circuit Court Gulfport

DeSoto County Circuit Court Hernando

Rankin County Circuit Court Brandon

Madison County Circuit Court Canton

Jackson County Circuit Court Pascagoula

Lee County Circuit Court Tupelo

Forrest County Circuit Court Hattiesburg

Process servers in Mississippi's cities

Reliable process servers

Charles Lindsay

Local process server, Flowood, Mississippi

Charles Lindsay is one of Mississippi's top-performing process servers, ranking among the best in the state for three straight months. With 10+ years with ABC Legal, Charles Lindsay has completed 583 proofs and resolved 588 cases over that stretch, averaging 2 days to resolution. Based in Flowood, Mississippi, Charles Lindsay helps ensure fast, reliable service of process for ABC Legal customers throughout Mississippi.

Proof you can take to any judge

20+

Years as the exclusive U.S. Department of Justice contractor for international service of process.

50,000+

Legal professionals rely on ABC Legal nationwide

50+

Years of process serving experience

12M+

Service attempts made annually, available instantly in our SOC2 compliant system.

Mississippi spotlight

City spotlight: Jackson

ABC Legal serves legal documents throughout Jackson and Hinds County, Mississippi, backed by a network of over 12,000 process servers spanning all 50 states. Every attempt includes GPS coordinates and time-stamped photo evidence, so you get proof of service that holds up in Mississippi courts. Whether it's a summons, subpoena, or complaint, Jackson-area service moves quickly and is tracked in real time from dispatch to completion.

Mississippi FAQs

How much does a process server cost in Mississippi?

ABC Legal uses flat-rate pricing with three tiers—standard, priority (first attempt within 3 days), and rush (first attempt within 48 hours). Pricing is flat per party and address: no mileage fees, no per-attempt charges, and the court-ready proof of service is included. Current Mississippi rates are shown in the pricing section above.

Who can serve legal papers in Mississippi?

Service must be made by a competent adult who is not a party to the case. Mississippi sets the specific requirements under Miss. R. Civ. P. 4. All of ABC Legal's Mississippi servers are vetted, trained, and continuously monitored.

How long does service of process take in Mississippi?

Most serves complete within 3–7 days. First attempts happen within 48 hours on rush orders, 3 days on priority, and within the first week on standard. Note the filing deadline: 120 days from filing to serve (Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(h)).

What are the Mississippi rules for service of process, and do you follow them?

Mississippi service is governed by Miss. R. Civ. P. 4, covering personal service (Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1)(A)); substituted service (Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1)(B)); service by mail (Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(3)); service by publication (Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(c)(4)). Compliance is the product—every ABC Legal serve follows these rules and produces a proof of service your court accepts.

What if the person is avoiding service?

Evasion doesn't stop a case. After documented diligent attempts, Mississippi allows alternatives such as substituted service under Miss. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1)(A). We record every attempt with GPS, timestamps, and notes—exactly the evidence a court needs. If the person's address is unknown, our skip tracing team locates them first.

Can you serve papers anywhere in Mississippi?

Yes. We maintain vetted servers across all 82 counties, covering every city and ZIP code.

What documents can you deliver in Mississippi?

Summonses and complaints, subpoenas, divorce and family law papers, eviction documents, small claims papers, restraining orders, writs, levies, garnishments, judgments, and post-judgment documents.

Mississippi process server—service of process in all 82 counties

See your price for service of process

First attempt within 3 days

First attempt within the first week

First attempt within 48 hours

Prove every serve beyond doubt.

Serve anywhere in Mississippi

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Save time and keep judges happy

How service of process works in Mississippi

Serving every kind of legal document in Mississippi

Summons & complaint

Citation & petition

Writs

Garnishments

Eviction

Family law

Need a rush process server in Mississippi?

Registered process servers for every Mississippi court

Process servers in Mississippi's cities

Reliable process servers

Charles Lindsay

Proof you can take to any judge

City spotlight: Jackson

Mississippi FAQs

Ready to serve papers in Mississippi?

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