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Small claims in Hancock County covers money disputes up to $3,500 and runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Hancock County, how notice reaches the other party, the time limits, and the filing steps. Squabble can prepare and lodge the paperwork when you decide to go ahead.
These cases are heard at the single courthouse below. Hancock County confirms the venue from the defendant's address or where the events happened.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Locations change. The court publishes its current small-claims address on its own page; Squabble confirms the courthouse for your case when you file.
Small claims filings from Hancock County are handled at Hancock County Justice Court in Bay St. Louis. The nearest counties to Hancock County are Pearl River County and Harrison County.
Filings here are on paper, brought to the counter or posted. Squabble assembles the packet so it is complete when it arrives.
The small claims list is heard in person, at the courthouse itself.
Two sets of evidence are needed, one for the judge and one for the other side, and some courts also take it electronically in advance.
Residents of Hancock County, Mississippi, who want to bring a small claims case file through the Mississippi Justice Court system, which handles claims up to $3,500. The Hancock County Justice Court sits at 8450 Highway 90 in Bay St. Louis, ZIP code 39520, and can be reached at (228) 467-5573 or online at https://hancockcounty.ms.gov/216/Courts. The court is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available, so filings are handled at the courthouse. The court serves a county population of about 46,492, including the communities of Bay Saint Louis, Diamondhead, Kiln, Lakeshore, Pearlington, Stennis Space Center, and Waveland, and ZIP codes such as 39520, 39525, 39556, and 39576. Hancock County lies near Pearl River County, Harrison County, and Stone County, each of which operates its own justice court for matters arising there.
These 7 places sit inside Hancock County:
Bay Saint Louis, Diamondhead, Kiln, Lakeshore, Pearlington, Stennis Space Center, Waveland.
ZIP codes:
Hancock County is the 16th most populous of Mississippi's 82 counties, with about 46,492 residents. Hancock County Justice Court sits about 15 miles from the Pearl River County courthouse in Poplarville and 12 miles from the Harrison County courthouse in Gulfport.
If the other side lives just over the county line, the case may belong next door:
Everyday disputes over money belong in the small claims division, where the rules are simplified, and the sum in question has an upper bound.
Maximum claim
Either the place the dispute arose or the place the other party lives will usually work.
Splitting a single claim across multiple filings to dodge the ceiling is not permitted.
The court decides who pays whom and how much. Anything beyond money goes to a higher court.
Lawyers are allowed at a Mississippi hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Under-18s are represented by a guardian the court appoints.
Over the limit? You can lower your claim to fit and stay in small claims, or file the full amount in regular civil court. Lowering usually means giving up the excess, so weigh it carefully.
Hancock County is under the same limits as nearby Pearl River County and Harrison County. Hancock County Justice Court is the courthouse listed for Hancock County.
Small claims exists for money owed, up to $3,500. The categories below come up more than any others.
Hancock County Justice Court is the Hancock County courthouse listed below. Hancock County has about 46,492 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Set out the claim on the court's form, identify the correct courthouse, and pay the fee.
The defendant receives the papers through formal service and can reply or negotiate an end to it.
A short hearing, held in the courtroom or remotely where that is offered. A decision follows on the day or shortly afterwards.
Hancock County Justice Court lists (228) 467-5573 as its number. Hancock County Justice Court publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page.
The defendant must be given formal notice after filing. This is service of process, and as a rule you are not permitted to serve the papers yourself.
Who may serve depends on the court: law enforcement, a paid process server, the clerk by certified mail, or a disinterested adult. Costs and rules are local.
Courts set their own cut-off for how many days before the hearing notice must land. The clerk gives you that date along with the hearing date.
The person who delivered the papers signs a proof of service. That document goes to the court ahead of the hearing.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
A Hancock County address carries one of its 9 ZIP codes, 39520, 39521 and 39522 among them. Addresses in Hancock County include places such as Bay Saint Louis, Diamondhead and Kiln.
Filing is only possible for a set time after the events. Beyond it, the other side can have the claim thrown out.
| Type of claim | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 3 years |
| Oral contract | 3 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
They do not change from one Hancock County ZIP code to another, 39520 included. The same periods apply in Hancock County as in nearby Pearl River County and Harrison County, which are in the same state.
Money owed under a contract in Mississippi generally accrues interest at 8% per year before judgment (Miss. Code §75-17-1, §75-17-7).
Interest can be calculated before filing using the Squabble interest calculator.
The rate above is the one for Hancock County, population about 46,492. Hancock County is under the same state rate as nearby Pearl River County and Harrison County.
Verify the figure is inside the limit and that you are still within the deadline for this claim type.
Identify the party precisely, lay out what occurred, and show the arithmetic behind the total.
File with the Hancock County small-claims court on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $21–$36 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
After the hearing date is issued, arrange delivery of the papers and file the proof with the court.
Arrange your evidence and number the exhibits so nothing has to be searched for on the day.
Appear in person or, where available, remotely, present your case, and receive the court's decision.
Describe the dispute to Eleanor. Squabble drafts the paperwork, puts it through a Triple-Check™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and lodges it with the court.
Start for FREE →A claim form opens the case, a proof of service records that notice was given, and a fee waiver applies where you qualify. Titles differ between courts, and Squabble uses the ones your courthouse expects.
Hancock County papers go to Hancock County Justice Court in Bay St. Louis. Bay Saint Louis, Diamondhead and Kiln are among the places in Hancock County that filings come from.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Hancock County has about 46,492 residents. Hancock County Justice Court sits at the 39520 address shown above.
The ruling establishes the debt. Recovery is a further step, supported by enforcement measures that are set by each state.
Wage garnishment, where the state permits it, sends part of the debtor's pay toward the judgment.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
Lodging the judgment with the county can create a lien over property the debtor owns.
There is also an examination procedure: the debtor is ordered to attend and give sworn answers about earnings and assets. Interest normally accrues at the statutory rate until payment.
Bay Saint Louis, Diamondhead and Kiln are among the Hancock County places a judgment debtor may live in. Pearl River County and Harrison County are the counties nearest to Hancock County.
Last reviewed August 2026. Court fees, limits, and procedures change. Verify current details with the court before filing.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares your demand letter and court-ready documents, Triple-Checks them for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your Hancock County case for you.
