About the Lee County Chancery Clerk
Bill Benson has served as the Lee County Chancery Clerk since 1992. Before taking the office, he worked as the Monroe County Administrator and County Auditor, and he served with the Division of Technical Assistance for the State Auditor's Office. That background in county finance fits the job. The Chancery Clerk is part record keeper and part county money officer.
The office sits inside the Lee County Justice Center in downtown Tupelo. It is the local counter for Chancery Court files, recorded land documents, delinquent taxes, and passports. Members of the public may come in and ask to see Chancery Court files, and furnishing copy fees apply when staff or the visitor make copies. Land records are open for inspection during regular business hours.
Lee County Chancery Clerk
Clerk: Bill Benson
P.O. Box 7127
Tupelo, MS 38802
(662) 432-2100
Fax: 662-680-6091
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Passport hours 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
What the Chancery Clerk Does in Lee County
The Chancery Clerk handles a wider mix of records than most people expect. The office records property documents, files Chancery Court papers, collects delinquent taxes, and acts as a passport acceptance agent. It also links the public to birth and death certificate ordering and to Secretary of State resources. The same counter that files an estate petition can record a deed and start a passport application.
The Chancery Clerk is not the same office as the Circuit Clerk. Marriage licenses, felony criminal dockets, juries, and elections run through the Lee County Circuit Clerk. The Chancery Clerk handles equity and property matters. Knowing the split keeps a request from landing at the wrong window.
- Recording deeds, deeds of trust, and powers of attorney
- Filing and copying Chancery Court case documents
- Maintaining land and property records for public inspection
- Collecting delinquent property taxes
- Accepting passport applications during posted passport hours
- Certifying copies of recorded and filed documents
Land and Property Records
Land recording is one of the largest jobs in the office. The Chancery Clerk records and preserves a long list of property and finance documents, and most are open for public inspection. The land room is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some documents carry personal details, so a few items have access limits even when the general file is public.
The documents recorded and kept by the Chancery Clerk include the following:
- Deeds and deeds of trust
- Powers of attorney
- Federal tax liens
- Military discharge records
- Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings
Military discharge records and documents holding sensitive personal information may have access limits. Anyone unsure whether a specific land document is fully open should call the office before mailing a request. Note: Land records stay open for in-person inspection during business hours, but certified copies still carry the standard copy and certification fees.
Chancery Records Online Through CRMS
Lee County runs an online records portal called CRMS, the Lee County Chancery Records Online system. The landing page is the main remote channel for land and Chancery-adjacent records. It offers public search choices, including Official Land Records and a Fraud Alert tool that watches for filings tied to a name or property. The portal works best for property and land-linked records.
CRMS does not replace the counter for every record type. Divorce case documents, probate files, and any sealed or restricted matter should still be confirmed with the Chancery Clerk directly. The portal is the right starting point for a deed or a property search, while case files often need a clerk's help. The CRMS site lists the office at P.O. Box 7127, Tupelo, with the same office phone and fax as the main counter.
The portal is reached at crms.leecountyms.gov. It runs alongside the in-person and mail channels rather than instead of them.
How to Request a Certified Copy by Mail
Mail is a reliable way to get a certified copy when a visit downtown is not practical. A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and proves the document is a true copy of the record on file. Courts, title companies, and agencies often require certification rather than a plain copy. The office cannot process a mail request without payment and a way to return the document.
- Write out enough detail to reasonably identify the document you want copied, such as names, the type of record, and any case or book and page numbers you have.
- Figure the copy cost, using $0.25 per page if you are describing a self-made copy or $0.50 per page for staff-made copies, then add $1.00 per document for certification.
- Make a check or money order payable to the Lee County Chancery Clerk for the total amount.
- Enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope so the office can mail the copy back to you.
- Send the request and payment to the Lee County Chancery Clerk, P.O. Box 7127, Tupelo, MS 38802.
- Call (662) 432-2100 first if you are unsure about page counts or which records are open before you mail any payment.
Records Request Form Fields
The Chancery Clerk does not use a printed copy-request form. Instead, a mailed request must include a few specific items so staff can find the record and return the copy. The list below shows what a complete mail request needs and which items are required.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Document identification | Yes | Enough detail to reasonably identify the document to be copied. |
| Check or money order | Yes for mail | Payable to the Lee County Chancery Clerk; must cover the copy cost. |
| Stamped self-addressed envelope | Yes for mail | Required so the office can return the copy. |
| Copy source | No | Public-made copies cost $0.25 per page; staff-made copies cost $0.50 per page. |
| Certification request | No | Adds $1.00 per document for a sealed, certified copy. |
Lee County Chancery Clerk Fees
Copy fees at the Chancery Clerk are set and published locally. The price depends on who makes the copy and whether you need certification. Payment rules change with the type of transaction, so the table separates copy fees from the payment methods the office accepts at the counter.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Copies made by the public | $0.25 per page |
| Copies made by Chancery Clerk staff | $0.50 per page |
| Certification | $1.00 per document |
| Payment by mail | Check or money order with SASE |
| In-office land, delinquent tax, court cost | Cash, check, money order, or credit/debit (2.9% card fee) |
| Passport agency payment | Check or money order only |
Checks for copies should be made payable to the Lee County Chancery Clerk. The 2.9% card fee applies only to card payments on land transactions, delinquent taxes, and court costs. The passport agency follows separate rules and takes only a check or money order. Note: Cash is accepted in person but should never be mailed; use a check or money order for any request sent through the mail.
Ways to Reach Lee County Chancery Records
The office offers three main ways to get Chancery and land records. Each one fits a different need. People who want to read a file or start a passport application come to the counter. People who only need a copy can mail a request. People searching property and land documents often start online.
The in-person counter is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with passport applications taken until 4:30 p.m. A visitor can inspect open land records, ask staff to pull a Chancery file, and pay by cash, check, money order, or card. Mail requests work for certified copies and need payment plus a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The CRMS portal covers land and Chancery-adjacent property records around the clock.
Beyond copies, the Chancery Clerk also collects delinquent property taxes and links the public to birth and death certificate ordering and Secretary of State resources. The First Chancery Court District, which serves Lee and several neighboring counties, holds court at the Lee County Justice Center. Court date questions for a Chancery case go through the district court administrator or the attorney handling the matter rather than the records counter.
Divorce, Probate, and Restricted Records
Divorce and probate are Chancery matters in Lee County, so both run through this office. The Chancery Clerk can furnish copies of Lee County Chancery Court files in person, and the standard copy and certification fees apply. Divorce filings carry an extra rule worth knowing before you start. A no-fault divorce without children or property may be filed without an attorney using Access to Justice resources, while a no-fault divorce with children or property requires an attorney.
Probate files cover wills, petitions for administration, appointments of executors and administrators, notices to creditors, inventories, accountings, guardianships, and conservatorships. These are held by the Chancery Clerk and copied through the same process as other Chancery records. For a fuller picture of estate filing and copy steps, the county Lee County probate records page covers the Chancery Court estate process in detail.
Not every Chancery record is open to the public. Adoption records are sealed, and the office instructs people to contact an attorney to obtain them. Guardianship details, mental-health and commitment filings, and matters involving minors may hold restricted personal information. Sealed and expunged records are also withheld. When a record is restricted, the clerk cannot simply copy it over the counter, and access usually requires a court order or an attorney of record.