Up to $3,500 · 3 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Mississippi, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Justice Court, where you can sue for up to $3,500.
Your deadline: Mississippi generally gives you 3 years from when the claim arose to file. Miss it and the court can dismiss the case no matter how clearly you're owed.
The filing fee is around $50 (About $50 plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Miss. Code § 9-11-9; deadlines: Miss. Code §§ 15-1-29, 15-1-49. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Most contract and tort claims 3 yrs (open accounts 3; some 6).
Suing for something else in Mississippi: Mississippi unpaid loan · Mississippi property damage · Mississippi unpaid rent · Mississippi contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Louisiana ($5,000, 10 years) · Alabama ($6,000, 6 years) · Tennessee ($25,000, 6 years) · Arkansas ($5,000, 5 years).
General legal information, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by county and court; consult a licensed attorney or your court clerk.
Updated July 2026