CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

State of Mississippi — Circuit Court / Chancery Court / County Court

COURT INFORMATION

Court Name: [________________________________] Court of [________________________________] County, Mississippi
Cause Number: [____________________________]
Judge: [________________________________]

CASE CAPTION

[________________________________]
Plaintiff(s),

v.

[________________________________]
Defendant(s).

PART I: CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, [________________________________], the undersigned, hereby certify that on [__/__/____], I caused a true, correct, and complete copy of the following document(s) to be served upon all counsel of record and/or parties in the above-captioned matter, in the manner identified below:

Document(s) Served

☐ Complaint / Declaration
☐ Answer to Complaint
☐ Motion to Dismiss
☐ Motion for Summary Judgment
☐ Response/Memorandum in Opposition
☐ Reply Memorandum/Brief
☐ Amended Complaint
☐ Counterclaim / Cross-Claim
☐ Third-Party Complaint
☐ Interrogatories (M.R.C.P. 33)
☐ Requests for Production of Documents (M.R.C.P. 34)
☐ Requests for Admission (M.R.C.P. 36)
☐ Discovery Responses / Answers
☐ Notice of Deposition
☐ Subpoena
☐ Proposed Order / Agreed Order / Final Judgment
☐ Notice of Hearing
☐ Affidavit / Declaration
☐ Exhibit(s): [________________________________]
☐ Other: [________________________________]

PART II: PARTIES SERVED

Party / Attorney 1

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Firm Name: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Mississippi Bar Number: [____]

Party / Attorney 2

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Firm Name: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Mississippi Bar Number: [____]

Party / Attorney 3

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Firm Name: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Mississippi Bar Number: [____]

(Attach additional page for more parties.)

PART III: METHOD OF SERVICE

Select ALL methods used. Complete the applicable declaration sections below.

A. Personal Delivery (M.R.C.P. 5(b)(1))

☐ Personal / Hand Delivery — I personally delivered the document(s) to the party or attorney listed in Part II.

Name of Person Who Received: [________________________________]
Capacity (attorney / party / clerk): [________________________________]
Location of Delivery: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]
Time: [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM

M.R.C.P. 5(b)(1): Service by personal delivery is complete upon delivery and does not add time to response periods.

B. Service by United States Mail (M.R.C.P. 5(b)(2))

☐ U.S. First-Class Mail — I served the document(s) by depositing a true copy in a sealed, postage-prepaid envelope in the United States Mail:

Mailing Address Used: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Date Mailed: [__/__/____]
Post Office / Mailing Location: [________________________________]

Mississippi Mail Extension — M.R.C.P. 6(e): When service is accomplished by mail and the receiving party must take action within a prescribed time period after service, 3 additional days are added to the period. Example: A 30-day response deadline becomes 33 days when service is made by mail.

C. Service by Facsimile

☐ Facsimile Transmission — I served the document(s) by transmitting a copy via facsimile:

Recipient Fax Number: [________________________________]
Date of Transmission: [__/__/____]
Time of Transmission: [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM
Pages Transmitted (including cover): [____]
Confirmation Number: [________________________________]

Basis for Fax Service:
☐ Recipient's fax number is listed in court filings
☐ Recipient has consented to fax service in writing
☐ Court order authorizing fax service (Order dated: [__/__/____])

Note: Mississippi Rules permit service by facsimile to attorneys when the recipient has provided a fax number in court filings or by agreement. Service is complete upon successful transmission. Fax service does not add additional days to response periods.

D. Service by Electronic Mail (M.R.C.P. 5(b))

☐ Electronic Mail (Email) — I served the document(s) by transmitting a copy to the email address(es) below:

Recipient Email Address: [________________________________]
Date of Transmission: [__/__/____]
Time of Transmission: [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM

Basis for Email Service:
☐ Recipient has consented to email service in writing
☐ Service through Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system
☐ Court order authorizing email service (Order dated: [__/__/____])

Note: Under Mississippi practice, email service is appropriate when the recipient has consented in writing or when effected through an authorized court electronic filing system. Always retain documentation of consent.

E. Service through Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) System

☐ Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) — The above document(s) were filed through the Mississippi Electronic Courts system. Upon filing, the MEC system automatically served all registered users of record in this case.

Name(s) Served through MEC: [________________________________]
Date/Time of Electronic Filing: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM
MEC Filing/Confirmation Number: [________________________________]

Mississippi MEC Note: The Mississippi Judiciary's Administrative Office of Courts has established electronic filing and service procedures pursuant to Miss. Code § 9-1-53. Attorneys registered in the MEC system consent to receive electronic service through the system. The Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) generated by MEC constitutes valid service on registered users. Self-represented parties and non-registered attorneys must be served by conventional means.

Non-MEC Registered Parties Served Separately:
☐ All parties are registered MEC users — no separate service required
☐ The following parties were served by separate means:
Party Name: [________________________________]
Method: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

F. Service by Overnight Delivery Service

☐ Overnight Delivery — I caused the document(s) to be deposited with an overnight courier service:

Courier Service: [________________________________]
Tracking Number: [________________________________]
Date Deposited: [__/__/____]
Delivery Address: [________________________________]

PART IV: SERVICE ON SELF-REPRESENTED (PRO SE) PARTIES

Self-Represented Party Name: [________________________________]
Last Known Address (from court record): [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Method of Service:
☐ U.S. First-Class Mail — last known address (+3 days added to response period)
☐ Personal delivery
☐ MEC system (only if pro se party is registered)
☐ Email (only with written consent or court order)
☐ Other authorized method: [________________________________]

Mississippi Practice Note — M.R.C.P. 5(a): When a party is not represented by counsel, service must be made upon the party directly at the party's last known address. Attorneys must confirm the current address for unrepresented parties by checking the court record. Under Mississippi courts' practice, self-represented parties should receive copies of all filed documents by the most reliable available means.

Additional Note on Service in Mississippi Courts:
Mississippi has separate court systems — Circuit Court (law cases), Chancery Court (equity, domestic, probate), and County Court (limited civil jurisdiction). Verify that service procedures are appropriate for the specific court type. Chancery Court practice may have additional or different requirements for certain matters.

PART V: DECLARATION OF SERVICE BY MAIL

(Complete if service was by U.S. Mail.)

I, [________________________________], declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Mississippi that the following is true and correct:

I am over the age of 18 and am not a party to the above-captioned action. My address is:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

On [__/__/____], I served the document(s) identified in Part I of this Certificate of Service by placing a true and correct copy thereof in a sealed envelope, with first-class U.S. postage fully prepaid, addressed to each person listed in Part II, and deposited the same in the United States Mail at [________________________________] (city and state of mailing).

Declarant Printed Name: [________________________________]
Declarant Signature: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

PART VI: DECLARATION OF ELECTRONIC SERVICE

(Complete if service was through MEC or by email.)

I, [________________________________], declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Mississippi that the following is true and correct:

On [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM, I served the document(s) identified in Part I above by electronic means as follows:

☐ MEC System: I filed the above document(s) through the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system. The system generated a Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) that served all registered users identified in Part III.E above. MEC confirmation number: [________________________________].

☐ Email Transmission: I transmitted the above document(s) by electronic mail to the address(es) in Part III.D above. Service was authorized by: ☐ Written consent of recipient ☐ Court order dated [__/__/____].

I have received no notice that any electronic transmission was unsuccessful. If I receive notice of an unsuccessful transmission, I will immediately re-serve by an alternative authorized method.

Declarant Printed Name: [________________________________]
Declarant Signature: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

PART VII: MISSISSIPPI PROCEDURAL NOTES AND RULES REFERENCE

7.1 M.R.C.P. 5(a) — Scope of Service

Every pleading subsequent to the original complaint, every written motion (except ex parte applications), every written notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, designation of record on appeal, and similar papers shall be served upon each of the parties. When a party is represented by an attorney of record, service shall be made upon the attorney.

7.2 M.R.C.P. 5(b) — Authorized Methods of Service

Under M.R.C.P. 5(b), service on an attorney or unrepresented party may be made by:
1. Delivering a copy to the attorney or party in person
2. Leaving a copy at the attorney's office with a clerk or other responsible person
3. If no one is in charge of the office, leaving a copy in a conspicuous place in the office
4. If the office is closed or the person has no office, leaving a copy at the person's dwelling with a resident of suitable age and discretion
5. Mailing a copy to the attorney or party at the last known address

Mississippi practice also recognizes service by facsimile (when authorized) and through electronic court systems pursuant to Miss. Code § 9-1-53.

7.3 M.R.C.P. 6 — Time Computation

• Day zero: The day of the act or event from which the period begins to run is not included in the count (Rule 6(a)).
• Short periods: When a period is less than 7 days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are excluded.
• Weekends and holidays: If the last day of the period is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the period is extended to the next business day.
• Mail extension (Rule 6(e)): When a party must respond or act within a period triggered by mail service, 3 additional days are added.
• No mail extension applies when the party is required to act within a period not triggered by service — for example, deadlines set by court order from a fixed calendar date are not extended for mail.

7.4 M.R.C.P. 5(d) — Certificate of Service

Every document filed with the court after service must include or have attached to it a certificate of service. The certificate shall state:
- The date of service
- The manner of service
- The names and addresses of all parties served

The certificate may be signed by the attorney or the person making service and is typically placed at the conclusion of the filed document.

7.5 Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) System

The Mississippi Judiciary's Administrative Office of Courts established the MEC system for electronic filing and service pursuant to Miss. Code § 9-1-53. The MEC administrative procedures govern:
- Registration requirements for attorneys
- Consent to electronic service upon registration
- Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) as proof of service to registered users
- Technical failure procedures
- Requirements for serving non-registered parties by conventional means

Not all Mississippi courts and case types may be covered by mandatory MEC e-filing. Attorneys should verify the current mandatory e-filing requirements for the specific court and case type.

7.6 Mississippi Court Structure — Chancery vs. Circuit

Mississippi maintains a bifurcated court system relevant to certificates of service:
- Circuit Court: Handles law cases (personal injury, contract, criminal)
- Chancery Court: Handles equity matters, domestic relations, probate, real property
- County Court: Limited civil jurisdiction

Certificates of service procedures are generally the same across these courts under the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. However, Chancery Court proceedings may have additional local rules or requirements; always check local court rules.

7.7 Service on State Agencies and Government Entities

When serving documents on Mississippi state agencies, boards, or government entities, verify whether special service requirements apply under M.R.C.P. 4 (for original service of process) and applicable agency-specific statutes. Post-complaint service follows Rule 5 procedures.

PART VIII: SIGNATURE BLOCK

I certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Mississippi that the foregoing Certificate of Service is true and correct, and that service was effected in the manner described herein.

Executed on: [__/__/____]

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

Mississippi Bar Number: [____]

Firm Name: [________________________________]

Mailing Address: [________________________________]

City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[________]

Facsimile: ([____]) [____]-[________]

Email Address: [________________________________]

Capacity:
☐ Attorney for Plaintiff [________________________________]
☐ Attorney for Defendant [________________________________]
☐ Attorney for Third-Party [________________________________]
☐ Self-Represented Party

APPENDIX: MISSISSIPPI SERVICE METHODS — QUICK REFERENCE

Sources: Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure (courts.ms.gov); Mississippi Code § 9-1-53; MEC Administrative Procedures. Template last updated: 2026-03-06. This template does not constitute legal advice.