The United States legal system is divided into many courts, each with their own specific jurisdiction covering certain geographical areas and legal issues. Federal courts were created in 1789 under the United States Constitution, with jurisdiction over federal crimes, disputes where federal laws are at issue, disputes between citizens of different states where a considerable amount of money (today $75,000) is at stake, and bankruptcy and intellectual property matters. Mississippi federal courts are an integral part of them.

As the American economy developed and the federal government’s power grew – especially after the Civil War – Congress has repeatedly altered the structure and size of the federal court system to ensure that citizens are able to receive speedy trials and commercial disputes are heard in a timely fashion.

In Mississippi, the state’s federal courts are divided into two judicial districts, each with their own courthouses and judges.

The Northern District of Mississippi has three current judges – two appointed by President George W. Bush and one appointed by President Barack Obama – and two senior judges, both appointed by President Ronald Reagan. Federal court cases in Northern Mississippi are held in Aberdeen, Ackerman, Clarksdale, Cleveland, Corinth, Greenville, and Oxford.

In southern Mississippi, court is held in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Natchez, Meridian, and Jackson. The Southern District has six current judges and four senior status judges. Of the ten, four were appointed by Bush, four by Reagan, one by Obama, and one by President George H.W. Bush.

If a plaintiff or defendant appeals a decision of a District Court judge in either the Northern or Southern District, their appeal is considered by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which is based in New Orleans.

Many people are often interested in obtaining records of federal court cases, including filings in criminal cases (which often contain detailed information about the government’s accusations and the defendant’s response) and civil cases (explaining the rationale for someone bringing a suit). Transcripts of hearings and other information, including judge’s preliminary and final decisions, are also available.

To obtain these records, the Mississippi federal courts system uses an online system called PACER, which stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. This provides some, though not all, federal court records online. There is a fee associated with this service. Alternatively, interested citizens can visit the facilities of any of the federal courts in Mississippi to inspect the court records they are interested in as a hard copy.