How to Search Forrest County Traffic Court Records
Most city tickets in the county run through Hattiesburg Municipal Court. That court posts a public ticket-search portal hosted by Tyler at hattiesburgms.municipalonlinepayments.com/hattiesburgms/court/search. The portal covers traffic citations and other municipal cases. You can use it to find an open ticket, check a court date, or confirm a case that was paid or closed. County tickets are handled at Forrest County Justice Court instead, which links a "PAY FINES" tool to myfinepayment.com. The two systems do not share one search box, so the right starting point is the court named on your citation.
Have a few details ready before you start. The Hattiesburg portal can search by citation number, driver license number, Social Security number, vehicle plate, name, or business name. Most search paths also ask for a date of birth in MM/DD/YYYY format. A citation number is the fastest match. A name search works when the ticket is misplaced, but it can return more than one result.
The screenshot below comes from the Hattiesburg Municipal Court ticket-search portal, the Tyler system the city uses for citation lookups.
The portal returns the case tied to your search and lets you view its status. To work through a lookup, follow these steps.
- Open the Hattiesburg ticket-search portal, or for a county ticket, start at the Forrest County Justice Court "PAY FINES" link.
- Pick a search path and enter your citation number, driver license, plate, or name, plus the date of birth the system asks for.
- Submit the search and review the matching case, including charge, court date, and balance.
- Read the disposition to see if the case is open, paid, dismissed, or set for a hearing.
- Pay, request a hearing, or call the court for a certified copy of the traffic record.
Which Courts Handle Traffic Cases in Forrest County
Traffic venue in Forrest County splits by who issued the ticket. A Hattiesburg police citation goes to Hattiesburg Municipal Court. A ticket written by the sheriff or a state trooper inside the county usually goes to Forrest County Justice Court. Circuit Court enters the picture only for felony-level traffic crimes or for appeals from a lower court. Ordinary speeding and equipment tickets almost never start there. Read the bottom of your citation. It names the court, the date, and the place you must answer the charge.
Hattiesburg Municipal Court sits at 701 James Street and lists traffic citations as one of its case types. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 1898, Hattiesburg, MS 39403-1898, and the court phone is 601-545-4933. Two judges, Wes Curry and Brian Bledsoe, are listed for the city court. Forrest County Justice Court is at 700 Main Street and can be reached at (601) 544-3136. The table below sorts the main traffic venues.
The Hattiesburg Municipal Court page spells out its address, judges, and traffic jurisdiction.
That city page also notes a public computer in the court lobby for viewing misdemeanor convictions.
| Court | Traffic Cases Handled | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Hattiesburg Municipal Court | City police traffic citations and city misdemeanors | 701 James Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 |
| Forrest County Justice Court | County traffic tickets and fines, lower-level county cases | 700 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 |
| Forrest County Circuit Court | Felony-level traffic crimes and appeals from lower courts | 630 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 |
Types of Traffic Cases on Record
Traffic court records cover a wide range of charges. Some are minor and clear with a payment. Others require a court date and can carry jail time. The court file tracks each one from the citation to the final outcome. The list below shows the common groups a Forrest County traffic record may hold. The exact charge and statute always control how the case is handled.
- Moving violations - speeding, running a light or stop sign, careless or reckless driving, and following too closely.
- Non-moving and equipment - expired tag, broken lights, window tint, and similar fix-it charges.
- License and insurance - no proof of insurance, driving on a suspended license, or no valid license.
- Commercial vehicle and CDL - violations tied to a commercial driver license, which carry stricter handling.
- Serious traffic crimes - DUI, leaving the scene, and similar charges that can move to criminal court.
What Forrest County Traffic Court Records Show
A court traffic record is the case file the court keeps for a ticket. It tracks the charge and how it ends. The fields below are the core of a Forrest County traffic record. Together they tell you what was charged, when you must answer, what you owe, and how the case closed. The same fields drive the search portal, since a citation number or name pulls up this very file.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Citation Number | The unique number on the ticket, used as the fastest way to find the case. |
| Charge / Statute | The offense and the traffic law or city ordinance the citation cites. |
| Court Date | The date and court where you must appear or respond to the charge. |
| Plea / Status | Whether the driver paid, pled, asked for a hearing, or contested the ticket. |
| Fine and Court Costs | The amount owed, including the fine plus any court costs and fees. |
| Warrant / FTA Status | Any failure-to-appear flag, bench warrant, or capias tied to a missed date. |
| Disposition | The final outcome, such as paid, dismissed, guilty, or sent to a course. |
Searching by Citation Number vs by Name
The Hattiesburg portal gives several ways to find a ticket. A citation number is the cleanest match. It points to one case, so there is no guessing. Type it exactly as printed, since a wrong digit returns nothing. Keep the citation handy when you call the court too.
A name search helps when the ticket is lost. It can pull up the case, but it may return more than one driver with a similar name. Adding a date of birth narrows the result. The portal also supports searches by driver license, Social Security number, vehicle plate, or business name. The table lists each search path and the fields it asks for.
| Search Path | Fields | Type | Required / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citation Number | Citation Number; Date of birth | text / date | DOB format MM/DD/YYYY. |
| Driver's License | DL Number; state dropdown; Date of birth | text / dropdown / date | State list covers all U.S. postal abbreviations. |
| Social Security Number | SSN; Date of birth | text / date | SSN format shown 111-22-3333. |
| Vehicle Information | License Plate Number; state dropdown | text / dropdown | Use for a vehicle-based search. |
| Name | First name; Last name; Date of birth | text / date | Use if the citation number is unavailable. |
| Business Name | Business Name | text | For business citation records. |
| Search | Search | button | Main submit button. |
Note: A name search can list several matches, so confirm the date of birth and citation number before you pay on any case.
Paying or Contesting a Forrest County Traffic Ticket
You have choices after a ticket. You can pay it, which usually counts as admitting the charge. You can ask for a hearing and plead not guilty. You can also ask the court about a traffic safety course or other deferred handling. Court staff explain the process but cannot give legal advice. The court named on the citation controls how you respond.
Right now, online card payment at Hattiesburg Municipal Court is down during a software migration. The court asks drivers to call about fines while the system is rebuilt. County fines run through a different tool. Forrest County Justice Court links a "PAY FINES" option to myfinepayment.com and can answer fine questions by phone.
Payment notice: Hattiesburg Municipal Court online payment is offline during its software migration. Call 601-545-4933 for any fine or balance question.
Some charges require you to appear in person, no matter how you plan to plead. The steps below walk through how to handle a Forrest County traffic ticket from start to finish.
- Read the citation to identify the court, whether Hattiesburg Municipal Court, Forrest County Justice Court, or another court.
- For a Hattiesburg ticket, search the Tyler portal by citation, license, SSN, vehicle, name, or business. If payment is unavailable due to the migration, call 601-545-4933.
- For a county ticket, use the Justice Court "PAY FINES" link or call Justice Court at (601) 544-3136.
- Decide whether to pay and admit, request a hearing, plead not guilty, or ask about a traffic safety course or deferred handling.
- Confirm whether a personal appearance is required, especially for DUI, no insurance, a suspended license, a CDL, an accident, or any mandatory-court charge.
- Keep your receipt or court disposition. If the offense is reportable, check your DPS driver record later to confirm the license file.
- For a failure to appear or failure to pay, contact the court promptly, since a bench warrant, capias, or license action may follow.
Public Access Laws for Traffic Court Records
Traffic court files are public records in Mississippi unless a law or court order restricts them. The Mississippi Public Records Act sets the right to inspect and copy court records held by the custodian court. State law also requires traffic courts to keep full records of vehicle-law proceedings. Access is broad but not absolute. Sealed or expunged cases, juvenile matters, and certain private identifiers can be withheld or redacted. The same access framework runs across all county court records, so the rules here mirror the rest of the system.
Key Statutes:
Mississippi Code § 63-9-17 - Requires courts to keep full records of proceedings for vehicle-law violations.
Mississippi Code § 63-9-11 - Provides a traffic safety violator course path that can keep a qualifying violation off the driving record.
Mississippi Code § 25-61-5 - Gives the public a right to inspect and copy public records under reasonable procedures and exemptions.
Court Traffic Records vs State Driver Records
These are two different files, and people mix them up often. The court traffic record is the case file the court keeps for your ticket. The state driver record, also called an MVR, is kept by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. It shows license status and the driving history reported to DPS after convictions or administrative actions. Paying a ticket clears the court case. It does not erase or change the separate DPS file. For insurance or a job, an employer or insurer wants the DPS driver record, not the court case file.
The DPS Driver Records page handles certified driver records, request forms, and fees.
The comparison below lines up the two records side by side so the difference stays clear.
| Topic | Court Traffic Record | DPS Driver Record / MVR |
|---|---|---|
| Custodian | Municipal Court, Justice Court, or trial court | Mississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau |
| Search fields | Citation, DOB, license, SSN, plate, name, business | Driver and license information; online purchase |
| Shows | Citation charge, court status, fines, disposition, court date | License status, driving history, actions reported to DPS |
| Used for | Paying or contesting a ticket, court proof, warrant or FTA check | Insurance, employment, and license-status checks |
| Cost | Court payment or copy fees vary; Hattiesburg payment down in migration | $14.31 certified online; $11.00 with DPPA-2 in person or by request |
CDL and Commercial Driver Records
Commercial drivers face stricter rules. A CDL holder cannot mask a traffic conviction the way other drivers sometimes can. Federal rules require many CDL violations to be reported to the driver's record, and a traffic safety course generally will not keep a CDL conviction off the file. That holds true even for a ticket received in a personal vehicle. The safe move for a CDL holder is to confirm with the court whether a personal appearance is required and how the charge will be reported.
Because the stakes are higher, a CDL driver should pull the DPS driver record after a case closes. That confirms how the conviction was recorded. The court traffic file shows the case outcome, but the DPS file is what carriers and insurers review.
DUI / DWI Cases
A DUI is not an ordinary traffic ticket. It is a criminal charge, and it can carry jail time, a license suspension, and a permanent record. These cases usually require a court appearance and often move beyond the traffic docket. A first city DUI may start at Hattiesburg Municipal Court, but the matter is handled as a criminal case, not a simple fine. Treat it that way from the start.
For full Forrest County DUI and DWI case detail, including charges, pleas, and sentencing, see the Forrest County criminal court records.
Deferred Adjudication and Defensive Driving Course
Mississippi law offers a course path for some minor traffic charges. Under the traffic safety violator course statute, a driver with a qualifying misdemeanor traffic offense can complete a court-approved course. If the statutory conditions are met, the violation does not go on the driving record. That can protect a clean record and help with insurance. The option is not automatic and does not fit every charge.
Ask the court whether your ticket qualifies before you pay it. Paying first usually counts as a conviction and can close the door on the course. Eligibility depends on the offense, your record, and the conditions in the statute. The court that holds your case decides whether the course applies.
Note: A traffic safety course can keep a qualifying violation off the driving record, but you should request it before paying the fine.
Sealing or Expunging Traffic Records
Some traffic cases can be removed from public view. Mississippi allows expunction of qualifying misdemeanor and certain felony convictions under set conditions. The process is court-specific. You petition the court that handled the case, so a Hattiesburg ticket is cleared through Municipal Court and a county charge through the right county court. Eligibility turns on the offense, the number of convictions, paid fines and costs, and any waiting period.
An expunction order directs agencies and clerks to take the eligible record out of public access. The record may still reach law enforcement or the courts under limited exceptions. A DUI and other serious charges often face tighter limits. Confirm eligibility with the court before you file, since the petition must match the statute that applies.
Fees for Traffic Record Copies
Costs depend on which record you need. A court copy of a traffic case comes from the court that holds the file, and those fees are set by the custodian court. The DPS driver record carries fixed state fees. A certified driver record bought online costs $14.31. A regular request made in person uses the DPPA-2 form, shown with a driver license or ID card, for an $11.00 fee paid by cash, credit, or debit. Law firms, investigators, and insurers also use the DPPA-2 form.
You can buy a driver record online from the Mississippi online MVR portal, which gives a one-time view for up to 24 hours.
Print from the confirmation page if you need to keep that record. The table sums up the common fees.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| DPS certified driver record online | $14.31 |
| DPS driver record by DPPA-2 in person or by request | $11.00 |
| Hattiesburg Municipal Court fine or copy | Online payment down in migration; call 601-545-4933 |
| Court traffic copy and search fees | Set by the custodian court; confirm before requesting |
For broader case lookups beyond traffic, the wider set of Forrest County court records covers the other courts and clerks. Bulk driver-record requests go to support@msegov.com, and the DPS Driver Records Division can be reached at (601) 487-7028, P.O. Box 1459, Canton, MS 39046.