About the Montgomery County Chancery Clerk
Ryan Wood serves as the Montgomery County Chancery Clerk. The office works out of the county courthouse in Winona and is one of the most diverse offices in Mississippi county government. In a single building it acts as a land recorder, a court clerk, the clerk for the county board, and the county treasurer. That mix is why a resident may walk in for a deed and a title agent may walk in for a lien search on the same morning.
Mississippi splits clerk duties between two elected officials. The Chancery Clerk runs Chancery Court and the land records. A separate Circuit Clerk handles Circuit Court civil and criminal suits, along with marriage licenses and voter rolls. Both share the same courthouse address, but they keep distinct record streams. Knowing which clerk holds your record is the first step in any Montgomery County search.
Montgomery County Chancery Clerk
Clerk: Ryan Wood
614 Summit Street, P.O. Box 71
Winona, MS 38967
662-283-2333
Fax: 662-283-2233
ryanwood@montgomerycountyms.com
What the Chancery Clerk Does in Montgomery County
The Montgomery County Chancery Clerk wears four hats at once. Each role creates its own set of public records. As Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, the clerk records the official minutes of every board meeting. As county Treasurer, the clerk prepares the claims docket and department payrolls, then writes and signs checks once the Board approves them. As public recorder, the clerk takes in land instruments and files them in the county indexes. As Clerk of the Chancery Court, the clerk keeps the case files for equity, estate, and family matters that the court hears.
The recorder role is the one most people touch. The clerk records and stores a wide list of instruments and keeps the indexes that let searchers find them by name or by book and page.
- Deeds, mortgages, and deeds of trust on real property
- Construction liens and condominium liens
- Federal tax liens and other recorded liens
- Lis pendens notices that flag pending suits against land
- Military discharge records filed for safekeeping
On the court side, the Chancery Clerk holds files for estates of people who have died, guardianships, conservatorships, divorces, child custody, adoption, and property disputes. Many of these reach into the county Chancery Court records that cover wills, inventories, and final accountings. Adoption files and records that involve minors are confidential, so the clerk cannot hand those to the general public.
How to Request a Land Record or Certified Copy
A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and proves the document matches the official record. Lenders, courts, title companies, and heirs often need one. A plain copy is fine for personal review. The steps below work for a recorded deed, a lien, or a chancery court filing.
- Decide what you need. Pin down the document type, the parties or property owner, and the year if you know it. For land records, the book and page number speeds the search.
- Pick your channel. You can visit the counter at 614 Summit Street, call 662-283-2333, send mail to P.O. Box 71, Winona, MS 38967, fax 662-283-2233, or email ryanwood@montgomerycountyms.com.
- Give the clerk enough detail to find the record. Include names, the document or case type, and book and page or a case number if you have it.
- Say whether you want a plain copy or a certified copy, and how many copies you need.
- Confirm the cost before you submit. The office sets copy charges under the state actual-cost rule, so ask for the current amount and the accepted payment methods.
- Choose pickup or mail return. For a mailed request, include a self-addressed stamped envelope if the office asks for one.
If the record is old, archived, or not handled over the phone, you can make a written public-records request to the office. Mississippi law gives the public the right to inspect and copy records that are not made confidential by another law.
Records Request Form Fields
Whether you write your own request or fill out a clerk form, the same core details help the office locate a Montgomery County record. Land records and court records ask for slightly different keys, so the table notes which fields apply.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Requester name and contact | Yes | Needed so the clerk can reach you and return the copy. |
| Record type | Yes | State whether it is a land record (deed, mortgage, lien) or a court record (estate, guardianship, divorce). |
| Party or owner names | Yes | Grantor and grantee for land; petitioner, decedent, or parties for court files. |
| Book and page | No | Optional but speeds a land-index search if you have it. |
| Case number | No | Helpful for chancery court files; provide year and names if unknown. |
| Plain or certified | Yes | Certified copies carry the clerk's seal for official use. |
| Number of copies | Yes | Cost rises with each added copy and page. |
Recorder Terms Worth Knowing
Land records use words that trip up first-time searchers. A short glossary makes the index and the counter staff easier to follow.
- Deed
- The signed document that transfers ownership of real property from one party to another. It is recorded so the public chain of title stays clear.
- Mortgage or deed of trust
- A recorded instrument that pledges property as security for a loan. It shows up in a title search until it is paid and released.
- Lien
- A legal claim against property for an unpaid debt, such as a construction lien or a federal tax lien. It can block a clean sale until it is cleared.
- Lis pendens
- A recorded notice that a lawsuit is pending that may affect a piece of real property. It warns buyers and lenders before they act.
- Grantor and grantee
- The grantor gives or sells the interest; the grantee receives it. The land index is searchable under both names.
Montgomery County Chancery Clerk Fees
The county does not publish a fixed copy-fee chart for the Chancery Clerk in its official online material. Mississippi sets the rule that governs charges, so the safest move is to call the office and confirm the current amount before you submit a request. Do not assume a flat per-page price.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plain copy per page | Not published; actual-cost rule |
| Certified copy | Not published; actual-cost rule |
| Land-record recording fee | Not published; call to confirm |
| Estate or chancery filing fee | Not published; call to confirm |
| Records search | Not published; actual-cost rule |
Under the Mississippi Public Records Act, a public body may charge a fee that is reasonably calculated to reimburse its actual cost for searching, reviewing, copying, and mailing a record. Section 25-61-7 of the Mississippi Code states that limit. The state Public Records Act page lays out the access and fee rules in full. Because the charge tracks real cost, it can change with the size of the job and the type of record.
Note: Always confirm copy and recording charges by phone before you mail a payment, since the Chancery Clerk sets fees on an actual-cost basis rather than a posted chart.
Other Ways to Reach the Chancery Clerk
The office takes requests by phone, mail, fax, email, and at the counter, which matters in a rural county where not every resident searches online. Call 662-283-2333 for a quick question about whether a file exists or what a copy will cost. Mail written requests to P.O. Box 71, Winona, MS 38967. For larger or older records, a written public-records request gives you a clear paper trail.
Mississippi has moved court filing onto the statewide Mississippi Electronic Courts system. Public document access through that system can require registration, credentials, or a fee, and it varies by court and record type. The Mississippi Electronic Courts page explains how attorneys file and how the public requests access. For land records and counter copies, though, the Chancery Clerk's office remains the direct source. Sealed, minor, and adoption records stay out of public reach no matter which channel you use.