New Document Formatting Standards Effective July 1, 2009 for Chancery Court Documents
Effective July 1, 2009, "any document or instrument presented to the clerk of chancery court for recording" will be required to comply with the requirements set forth in Miss. Code Ann. § 89-5-24 (House Bill 475). The detailed requirements were apparently made necessary to bring uniformity to instruments filed with the chancery court. Although the statute identifies a number of instruments that are exempt from the new formatting requirement, construction liens are not included in this list. Fortunately, the "[f]ailure to conform to the format standards specified…does not affect the validity or enforceability of the document or instrument". Miss. Code Ann. § 89-5-24(5). However, you will be assessed an additional ten dollars ($10.00) for each document or instrument that does not comply. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-5-24(4). Click here to see a copy of the Rankin County Chancery Court’s instructions concerning these new formatting requirements and a sample form.
