Smith County, Mississippi Court Filing
Fee Lookup

Court filing fees in Smith County, Mississippi are collected by the Smith County Chancery Court in Raleigh according to Mississippi's statutory fee schedule, plus any local surcharges authorized by county ordinance. With 15,919 residents and ranked a mid-ranked jurisdiction among Mississippi's 82 counties, Smith County operates within the Circuit Court (civil) / Chancery Court (equity/probate/family) / Justice Court (small claims) and follows both the state's base fee requirements and its own local additions.

Smith County is a rural jurisdiction in Mississippi where the Smith County Chancery Court in Raleigh handles all case types with a less specialized but accessible approach to court administration. Confirming the current fee schedule with the clerk's office is recommended, as fees can change when new state legislation takes effect or when the county updates its local surcharge schedule.

• Filing fees in Smith County are based on Mississippi's statutory schedule, which applies statewide, plus any local surcharges assessed by the county. For reference, the statewide base fees by case type are: probate and estate filings — $40–$100 (Chancery Court — Probate Division)
• civil complaints and appearances — $100–$200 (Circuit Court) / $50–$100 (Chancery Court)
• family law matters (divorce, custody, support) — $100–$200 (Chancery Court — Domestic Relations)
• small claims filings — $35–$65 (Justice Court small claims). These figures represent the state-level base
• the total amount due at the Smith County Chancery Court in Raleigh may include additional local charges.

• Smith County falls in the mid-range of Mississippi jurisdictions by population, and its local surcharges typically reflect that scale.
• The clerk's office at the Smith County Chancery Court in Raleigh can confirm whether any local assessments apply beyond the state statutory base fee.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, Smith County litigants and estate administrators should budget for recurring court costs throughout the proceeding: fees for filing subsequent motions and responses, charges for certified copies of letters testamentary or court orders (typically $5 to $25 per document in Mississippi), jury demand deposits in civil cases, and in probate matters, fees associated with filing the inventory, accountings, and petition for discharge.
• For a complete picture of expected court costs in Smith County, request the full fee schedule from the Smith County Chancery Court clerk in Raleigh before initiating the proceeding.

Mississippi has been expanding electronic filing (e-filing) capabilities across its court system. Smith County is a jurisdiction where e-filing adoption may be more limited.

In smaller counties like Smith County, the Smith County Chancery Court in Raleigh may accept or require paper filings for some or all case types, though this is changing as the state's e-filing infrastructure expands. Contact the Smith County Chancery Court clerk directly to confirm the current e-filing requirements for your specific case type.

When e-filing is available in Smith County, the system charges a convenience fee per transaction — typically $2 to $8 — in addition to the applicable statutory court fees. This convenience fee is charged by the e-filing service provider rather than the court itself and is generally non-waivable even for litigants who have received a court fee waiver.

Self-represented litigants (pro se filers) are often exempt from mandatory e-filing requirements and may file in paper at the Smith County Chancery Court clerk's window in Raleigh during regular business hours.

For probate and estate matters in Smith County, e-filing availability may differ from civil cases. Some Mississippi probate courts have been slower to adopt e-filing given the document-intensive nature of estate proceedings — original wills, certified death certificates, and original deeds often require in-person or mail submission regardless of whether other case types accept electronic filing.

Verify with the Smith County Chancery Court in Raleigh which documents can be e-filed and which require physical originals before planning your filing strategy.

• Smith County residents who cannot afford court filing fees may apply for a fee waiver under Miss.
• Code Ann.
• § 11-53-17.
• To apply, file a declaration of financial condition with the Smith County Chancery Court clerk's office in Raleigh at the time of your initial filing.
• The declaration lists all household income sources, monthly expenses, assets, and liabilities.
• A judge or court commissioner reviews the application and issues an order granting or denying the waiver, typically within a few days of submission.

• Eligibility for a fee waiver in Smith County generally requires that household income fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty level, or that the applicant is receiving qualifying public benefits — commonly Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or public housing assistance.
• The specific income thresholds and qualifying programs are defined in Miss.
• Code Ann.
• § 11-53-17 and may have been updated by recent legislation.
• Ask the Smith County Chancery Court clerk in Raleigh for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the Smith County Chancery Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In Smith County probate proceedings, a fee waiver does not eliminate the cost of publishing a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation (a statutory requirement in most states), service of process fees paid to process servers or the sheriff's office, or costs for court-ordered appraisals.
• Budget for these additional costs separately even when a fee waiver is in effect.