Marriage and Divorce in Webster County

Webster County Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses in Webster County come from the Circuit Clerk, not the Chancery Court. The clerk, Wanda B. Robinson, runs that office from the county courthouse at 6333 MS Hwy 9, Suite 109, in Walthall. Both people who plan to wed must show up in person and apply together. There is no way to file the whole thing by mail or fully online, so plan a trip to the clerk's counter. The county's marriage license page lays out the basic rules.

The license itself is light on red tape. Mississippi dropped the old blood test years ago, and Webster County no longer makes couples wait three days after they apply. Once the clerk issues the license, it never expires. A couple can get the license well ahead of the wedding and use it whenever the ceremony takes place. A few rules still apply, and they matter most for anyone who was married before.

Proof of age is the main thing each applicant must bring. If either person ended a prior marriage in the last six months, the clerk also wants a copy of the divorce papers.

Note: Both applicants must appear before the Circuit Clerk together, so one person cannot pick up a Webster County marriage license on behalf of the other.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

The process is quick once both people are ready. Bring valid photo ID, a way to pay, and any divorce papers if they apply. The clerk fills out the application with the couple and issues the license the same day in most cases. Anyone who wants to read the requirements first can review the county's marriage license information sheet. The steps below walk through a Webster County marriage license from start to finish.

1. Both applicants travel to the Circuit Clerk's office at the Walthall courthouse and appear together at the counter.
2. Each person shows proof of age, such as a driver's license, birth certificate, state ID, or passport.
3. Anyone divorced within the past six months hands over a copy of the divorce decree or final judgment.
4. The couple completes the marriage license application and information sheet with the clerk.
5. Pay the $37 license fee by debit or credit card, or by another method the office accepts.
6. The clerk issues the license, which has no waiting period and no expiration date.

Webster County Marriage License Requirements

The county keeps the requirement list short and clear. Each item below is either required for every couple or required only in certain cases. The table mirrors the marriage license information sheet and the rules posted by the Circuit Clerk.

Webster County Marriage Proof Rules

Proof of age is the document the clerk checks most closely. A current driver's license is the easiest option, but the office accepts several forms of identification. Bring an original or certified document rather than a photocopy when you can. The clerk uses these papers to confirm each applicant's identity and age before the license is issued.

• Valid driver's license from any state.
• Certified birth certificate.
• State-issued identification card.
• U.S. passport or passport card.
• Divorce decree, if a prior marriage ended within six months.

If a name on the ID differs from a name used in daily life, call the office ahead so the clerk can explain what extra proof may help.

Webster County Marriage and Divorce Fees

Fees split between the two clerks because the records do. The Circuit Clerk charges for the marriage license and for certified copies of it. The Chancery Clerk sets fees for divorce filings and certified decrees, and those amounts depend on the case and the page count. The table shows the marriage fees the county publishes, plus the statewide online-access charges.

Payment for the marriage license can be made by debit or credit card. The county's Circuit Clerk filing-fee list confirms the $17 certified-copy charge.

Note: Divorce filing fees and certified decree costs are set by the Chancery Clerk and are not posted as flat rates, so call ahead to confirm the current amount.

Finding Webster County Marriage Records

Marriage records begin as license records held by the Circuit Clerk. The office keeps marriage books alongside its court, election, and jury records. To confirm a marriage or order a copy, reach the Circuit Clerk by phone at (662) 258-6287, by email at wrobinson@webstercountyms.org, or in person at the Walthall courthouse. Have the full names of both spouses and the rough date of the marriage ready.

A certified copy of the marriage license costs $17 and serves as legal proof for a name change, a passport, or a benefits claim. An uncertified printout does not carry the same weight. For older marriages, ask the clerk to search the marriage books by name and year, since not every historic record is searchable online.

The Circuit Clerk also files statistical marriage records with State Vital Records, so the county license is the local source while the state holds the wider data set. History matters for old files too. After the 2013 courthouse fire, county offices worked from temporary space for years before the new Walthall courthouse opened in 2019, so some historic marriage books moved between buildings. A very old record may take a hands-on book search rather than a quick screen lookup.

Webster County Divorce Records

Divorce is a Chancery Court matter in Mississippi. Chancery Courts hold jurisdiction over divorce, custody, guardianship, and other domestic cases, so a Webster County divorce file lives with the Chancery Clerk, Michael L. Kolb, in Suite 123 of the courthouse. The Mississippi Judiciary Chancery Court page spells out that jurisdiction. The same court handles probate and estates, which the Webster County Chancery Court records cover in more detail.

To find a divorce case, start with the Chancery Clerk or the statewide Mississippi Electronic Courts system. The Webster County Chancery Court has its own MEC entry, and any member of the public can register for PAMEC to view dockets and documents. Sign up through the PAMEC account page, then select the Webster County Chancery Court. Call the Chancery Clerk at (662) 258-4131 if you cannot locate a case online or need help with an older file.

A divorce file can hold the complaint, the final decree, property and support terms, and orders about children. Some of that content is shielded from remote viewing, which the next section explains.

Remote Access Limits on Divorce Files

Mississippi opened electronic court access statewide, but it walled off the most sensitive case types. A July 2025 Mississippi Judiciary notice confirmed that remote access is barred for several Chancery categories. You can often see that a case exists, yet the documents stay off the public internet. The MEC general information page describes what the public can and cannot reach.

• Divorce and termination of parental rights.
• Child custody, visitation, and child support.
• Conservatorship and guardianship.
• Minor's settlement and domestic-abuse protection.
• Any file the court has sealed.

When a divorce file falls into one of these groups, the courthouse is the fallback. Use a public terminal at the Chancery Clerk's counter, or ask whether party or attorney status lets you see more. A court order can also open access in the right case.

Note: Seeing a case number in the index does not mean the full divorce record is public, since remote document access stays restricted for divorce and related family matters.

Certified Marriage and Divorce Copies

Certified copies are the version courts, agencies, and other states accept. For a marriage license, the certified copy comes from the Circuit Clerk and costs $17. For a divorce, the certified final decree comes from the Chancery Clerk, not the Circuit Clerk, because the Chancery Court entered the judgment. Bring or send the names, the case or book details, and the fee, and ask whether the office takes mailed or phone requests.

The two offices share the same Walthall courthouse but sit in different suites. Marriage questions go to Suite 109; divorce and probate questions go to Suite 123. The Webster County Circuit Clerk and the Chancery Clerk both fall under the Mississippi Public Records Act, Section 25-61-1, which makes most court records open to inspection unless a specific exception applies.