Here is the quick way to use it:

1. Go to the Holmes County inmate search.
2. Enter the surname in the name box. Add a given name only if too many results show.
3. Match the date of birth before you trust a result, since common surnames repeat.
4. Save any jail number the page gives you, since staff find a file faster with it.
5. Also try nicknames, second names and married or former surnames.

Online jail lists run behind real events. Phone the facility at 662-834-5016 and ask a staff member to check the name. Ask what the bond is and the date of the next court visit.

Several ordinary things can make a name vanish:

• Booking is underway. Fingerprints and forms can eat up hours.
• A town officer has the person. A town department may have the person in its own cell before the jail takes over.
• The person has left. A posted bond or a court order can end custody within hours.
• Another county has them. Transfers between jails happen.
• Spelling. Check hyphens, double letters and suffixes such as Jr.
• Age. A child is routed through Youth Court instead.

Staff at 662-834-5016 can run the name for you. If they say the person is not there, ask which agency made the arrest. Then call that agency and ask where it took the person.

Most Holmes arrests end at the Holmes-Humphreys County Regional Correctional Facility, 23234 MS Hwy 12 East, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-5016. It runs under the authority of the Sheriff and is shared with Humphreys County. The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) counts it among its regional facilities, which also house state inmates. Ask staff how people are split up inside, for example by sex, custody level or case status, because the records we use do not say.

A person arrested in a different county will be in that county's lockup. Two regional facilities in central Mississippi are listed here:

• Yazoo Regional Correctional Facility, 154 Roosevelt Hudson Drive, Yazoo City, MS 39194, 662-751-8484
• Carroll County Regional Correctional Facility, 33714 MS Hwy 35, Vaiden, MS 39176, 662-464-5440

Someone facing federal charges or a state sentence may be held elsewhere. The federal and prison answers below explain.

Our records do not confirm that this search shows mugshots (booking photos), so it may or may not. To ask for one, phone the facility at 662-834-5016 and learn which agency made the arrest, like the Sheriff's Office or a town department. That agency decides whether to share a photo.

Mississippi's Public Records Act, found at Miss. Code § 25-61-1 and the sections after it, makes a law enforcement incident report open to the public. Section 25-61-3 and section 25-61-12 say that report names everyone arrested and charged. Section 25-61-7 lets an agency bill for copies. No law we found requires an agency to hand over the booking photo, so it may refuse.

• To get a photo ICE took, use its FOIA page.
• Photos taken when federal agents book someone usually are not given out. The U.S. Marshals Service is able to share one if it wants to, for example in a search for a fugitive.

Mississippi's VINE system, called SAVIN, will contact you by call, text message or email. MDOC says its notices cover county and state offenders whenever an inmate gets moved, walks out the door, breaks out or is brought back in. MDOC does not list which county jails take part, so treat it as a bonus and still call the facility.

• Search and sign up on VINELink. You can also look a person up by name to see custody status.
• Use the 24-hour toll-free line, 888-967-7284, in English or Spanish.
• The SAVIN office answers during business hours at 601-359-5759.

Your registration follows the person if they move from a county jail into MDOC custody.

The law gives police 48 hours, at most, to bring a held person before a judge. For a county arrest, that is typically Justice Court. For a town arrest, it may be that town's Municipal Court. The hearing can run by video if the person agrees. During that hearing, the judge reviews the accusation, mentions counsel and decides on release terms. Anyone who is eligible for bail but never sees a judge in that window must be let go on an appearance bond fixed at the scheduled minimum.

• Who picks the figure: a judge. Jailers do not.
• Starting point: the person's own written promise to come back, or a bond. Tighter terms need a reason, such as a risk of skipping court or a danger to others.
• Ways to post: cash deposit, land, a bond filed with the clerk, or a licensed bail agent.
• Bail agent: costs 10 percent of the bond, or $100 if that is more (15 percent for a capital charge or a person who lives outside Mississippi), plus a $50 processing fee. None of it comes back. Licensing of a bonding agent can be confirmed with the state Insurance Department; its number is 601-359-3582.
• Cash deposit with the court: 10 percent of the bond or $250, whichever is higher, for people who qualify.
• Family violence arrests: no one goes home until a judge has seen the person, and that judge can add up to 24 more hours of waiting.

Bond may be accepted by the officer holding the person, for example the Sheriff, and by Justice Court judges. Phone the facility to learn where to pay. See our bail page for the steps. The Mississippi bail laws page gives a short overview.

The quickest source is the facility. Phone 662-834-5016, give the name and birthday, then request charge and bond details. A booking charge may change once a prosecutor reviews the file.

• Misdemeanor cases: Justice Court, 200 Court Square, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-4565.
• Felony cases: the Circuit Clerk, 22549 Depot Street, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-2476, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Online: a login at Mississippi Electronic Courts opens dockets for courts that take part.

A grand jury reviews felony cases and decides whether to bring a formal charge. The incident report on the arrest is public too, as the mugshot answer explains.

The first court hearing is when a judge rules on a free lawyer. A person who cannot pay should say so out loud. The judge may ask a few questions about money before naming a lawyer.

After a case is open, the Justice Court, 200 Court Square, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-4565, can tell you who was named. You may also hire a lawyer yourself at any point. State appeals in felony cases usually go through the Office of State Public Defender, 601-576-4290.

Prosecutors work for the state, not for the accused:

• District Attorney, 458 E. Madison, Durant, MS 39063, 662-653-3191
• County Prosecuting Attorney, 103 West China Street, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-9029

Talk about the case only with your lawyer, since calls from a jail can be taped.

The facility sets visiting days, hours and rules, and may change them. Phone 662-834-5016 before you drive over, and ask:

• Can this person have visitors today?
• Do visitors sit in a room with the person, use a video screen, or both?
• Do I book a slot first?
• Which photo ID is accepted, and may minors come along?
• What clothing is banned?

Expect a search at the door, and leave bags and phones in your car. Our visiting guide covers rules common to many jails. Someone newly sentenced to state prison cannot have visitors while MDOC classifies them.

Money placed on a jail account buys items like snacks and soap and pays for calls. It never pays a bond, fine or court cost. Ask the facility at 662-834-5016 which deposit methods work, what they cost and how much you can send. Have the booking number and the exact spelling of the name in front of you.

For ways to deposit, our money guide helps. The commissary guide explains purchases at the jail store. Never send cash or a personal check by mail unless staff say so.

Inmates normally place outgoing calls, and families often cannot call in. Ask staff at 662-834-5016 if the facility uses an outside phone company, if you must open an account, how much a call costs, and whether tablets, texts or video exist.

Assume each call is taped and keep the details of the case out of it. A talk with the person's lawyer is different, and the person can ask for a private line. Two of our pages help: the jail phone guide explains calling, and this page on inmate email and text covers messages.

Phone 662-834-5016 before anything goes in the mailbox. Ask which mailing line to use, if a number must go with the name, and if it is fine to enclose photos, cards or books. The building stands at 23234 MS Hwy 12 East, Lexington, MS 39095, though mail can need its own address.

Stick to ordinary paper and an ordinary envelope. On the envelope put the inmate's full legal name, with your own address marked as the sender. Leave out cash, stamps and stickers. Our mail guide lists more rules.

At booking, staff take away what the person carries and store it until release. To drop off clothing or collect items for someone, phone 662-834-5016 first. Ask if a signed form is needed and when staff handle property. Bring photo ID to 23234 MS Hwy 12 East, Lexington, MS 39095.

If police towed a vehicle, that is handled apart from the jail. Call the arresting agency about it.

Phone 662-834-5016 at once and ask for the person who handles medical needs or the shift supervisor. Report the full name, the medicines and amounts, and the doctor's phone number. Mention allergies, pregnancy, diabetes, seizures and mental health needs.

Your loved one should also hand in a written sick call form, if the facility has one, to create a paper trail. In an emergency dial 911. If you fear for their safety or see signs of a mental health emergency, tell them so right away.

The Sheriff's Office serves county warrants, so phone the facility at 662-834-5016 and ask how to reach it. Statewide, the Mississippi's Most Wanted page lists fugitives. For felony cases, the Circuit Clerk, 22549 Depot Street, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-2476, can tell you. For misdemeanors, call Justice Court, 200 Court Square, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-4565. Give the full name and birth date. Should one exist, call a lawyer before contacting anyone else. Surrender can be arranged through the issuing court.

Contact the clerk's office for whichever court is handling the matter. Be ready with the full legal name and birthday.

• Justice Court (misdemeanors, first hearings, bond hearings in felonies): 200 Court Square, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-4565.
• Circuit Court (felonies after a grand jury charge): Circuit Clerk, 22549 Depot Street, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-2476, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Municipal Court: for a town arrest, ask the Justice Court clerk or the facility which town court has the case.

Mississippi's criminal rules set a 270-day goal, counted from arraignment, for bringing a case to trial, with delays allowed for good cause. A missed court date leads the court to move to forfeit the bond and issue a new warrant. Our court guide explains each stage. Mississippi's constitution gives crime victims fair, dignified and respectful treatment, plus a right to be informed about public hearings, attend them and be heard when the law allows (art. 3, sec. 26A).

Federal charges from Holmes land at the U.S. District Court in Jackson, in the Southern District's Northern Division. Its address is 501 East Court Street, Jackson, MS 39201 (Suite 2.500), 601-608-4000.

1. A federal magistrate or district judge rules on jail versus release during a detention hearing, before any trial (18 U.S.C. 3142).
2. Before trial, the U.S. Marshals Service decides where a held person stays, which may be a contract jail. Ask the Marshals, at 501 East Court Street, Jackson, MS 39201 (Suite 1.150), 601-608-6800.
3. Track the case on PACER.
4. After sentencing, enter the person's name or register number in the BOP locator.

The usual path runs like this:

1. ICE sends the jail a notice called a detainer (Form I-247A).
2. That notice requests a hold of up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
3. Afterward the person is moved into ICE custody and sent on to a site the agency chooses.
4. Check the ICE Online Detainee Locator to see where the person is. Search by A-number, or by surname plus birth country.

Mississippi cases fall to the ICE field office in New Orleans, plus a Jackson, Mississippi, office on ICE's list. The locator tells you whom to call. An immigration lawyer can explain the person's options.

When a court sentences someone to prison, MDOC starts with a reception period of two weeks to 45 days for classification. One site is the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, near Pearl. Another is the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, in the north. The third is South Mississippi Correctional Facility, near Leakesville. Which one depends on the county of origin, so call MDOC to confirm. Deputies drive the person there. During this time there are no visits and calls are limited.

• To search by name or MDOC number, use the state inmate search. County detainees do not appear in it.
• Learn more in the Mississippi state prisons section of our site.
• MDOC main line: 601-359-5600.

Some state inmates serve time at the Lexington regional facility, so a name can show up in the MDOC search while the person is still near home. The State Parole Board makes parole decisions in Mississippi.

A child under 18 normally goes through Youth Court rather than adult court. The law caps a child's stay at 24 hours unless a judge signs an order, and at 48 hours unless a detention hearing has taken place. In general a child should not be housed in an adult jail. Adult court hears cases where a youth aged 13 or more stands charged with a crime carrying a life or death penalty or using a deadly weapon (Miss. Code § 43-21-151). A Youth Court judge may also transfer a case upward.

• Youth Court, Holmes County Courthouse, P.O. Box 239, Lexington, MS 39095
• Youth Court counselor, P.O. Box 120, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-1511
• Youth Court referee office, Durant, MS, 662-653-3030
• Youth Court prosecutor, 116 Court Square, P.O. Box 90, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-3600

Call the counselor to learn where a child is held, since the Youth Court picks the place. Oakley Youth Development Center, 2375 Oakley Road, Raymond, MS 39154, is where a committed youth may be placed. For a youth defense lawyer, call the Office of State Public Defender at 601-576-4206.

Phone the facility at 662-834-5016 to learn which agency booked the person. Agencies that may be involved:

• Sheriff's Office: covers the areas outside town limits. Ask the facility for its direct number.
• Town police: towns in the county include Lexington, Durant, Pickens, Tchula, Goodman, Cruger and Ebenezer. An arrest inside town limits can start with a town officer. The Justice Court clerk, 200 Court Square, Lexington, MS 39095, 662-834-4565, can help you find the right department.
• Mississippi Highway Patrol, Troop D: 1301 Cypress Avenue, Greenwood, MS 38930, 662-477-1953. It serves the county along state roads.

In an emergency, call 911.