Mississippi Construction Attorney — Find a Lien & Payment Lawyer (2026)
✓ Verified against Mississippi statutes · Reviewed August 2026 · By Michael Evan — Founder · 50 states · 799 rules
Mississippi mechanics lien deadlines at a glance
Preliminary Notice
None (owner) — Sub: pre-notice
Mechanics Lien
12 months — From last date of furnishing
Enforcement
1 year — From filing
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When Mississippi Contractors Need a Construction Attorney
Mississippi contractors should consult a construction attorney when (1) a payment dispute exceeds $20,000, (2) the § 85-7-407 30-day sub-tier pre-lien notice deadline is approaching, (3) the § 85-7-413 90-day Claim of Lien filing deadline is approaching, (4) the § 85-7-421 180-day suit-to-enforce deadline in Mississippi Circuit Court or Chancery Court is approaching, (5) a § 85-7-405 Notice of Commencement is being recorded and the § 85-7-415 payment bond option is being evaluated, (6) the project is a Mississippi public works project and a bond claim under Miss. Code Ann. § 31-5-51 (Mississippi 'little Miller Act') is required, (7) the Mississippi Prompt Payment Act under Miss. Code Ann. § 87-7-3 is being asserted, or (8) Mississippi State Board of Contractors licensure under Miss. Code Ann. § 31-3-1 et seq. is in play.
What Mississippi Construction Attorneys Do
Mississippi construction attorneys handle the full post-2014 construction lien workflow plus Mississippi public works bond claims, Mississippi Prompt Payment Act enforcement, and Mississippi State Board of Contractors licensing matters — drafting and recording § 85-7-405 Notices of Commencement, drafting and serving § 85-7-407 pre-lien notices by certified mail, drafting and recording § 85-7-413 Claims of Lien with the chancery clerk, procuring and recording § 85-7-415 payment bonds as substitutes for sub-tier lien rights, filing § 85-7-421 enforcement suits in Mississippi Circuit Court or Chancery Court with the required lis pendens recording, filing Mississippi public works bond claims under § 31-5-51, enforcing the Mississippi Prompt Payment Act, and advising on Mississippi State Board of Contractors licensing matters.
How to Find a Vetted Mississippi Construction Attorney
Three reliable paths: (1) the Mississippi Bar Lawyer Referral Service at msbar.org provides a vetted directory of Mississippi attorneys by practice area and county; (2) the Mississippi Bar Construction Law Section identifies attorneys actively practicing in the post-2014 HB 1289 framework under Miss. Code Ann. § 85-7-401 et seq., Mississippi public works bond claims under § 31-5-51, and Mississippi Prompt Payment Act matters; and (3) the Mechanics Lien Management Mississippi attorney network connects contractors with vetted construction attorneys filtered by county, claim size, and matter type. Ask specifically about post-2014 HB 1289 framework experience — the post-2014 Notice-of-Commencement / pre-lien-notice / Claim-of-Lien framework is genuinely distinct from the pre-2014 stop-payment-notice regime that some senior practitioners still carry forward analysis habits from.
Mississippi Construction Attorney Fees
The downtown Jackson (Hinds County), Gulfport-Biloxi (Harrison County), Madison and Rankin counties, and DeSoto County / Memphis suburban corridor trends highest, with senior partners at construction specialty firms commanding $350–$550 per hour. Tupelo (Lee County), Hattiesburg (Forrest County), Oxford (Lafayette County), Meridian (Lauderdale County), and Columbus (Lowndes County) sit in the middle at $200–$375. Greenville, Cleveland, Natchez, Vicksburg, and Mississippi's smaller-market counties trend lower at $175–$325. Flat fees for § 85-7-405 Notices of Commencement $300–$900; § 85-7-407 pre-lien notices $200–$500; § 85-7-413 Claims of Lien $400–$1,200; § 85-7-421 enforcement filings $3,000–$7,500. Mississippi follows the American Rule on fees in mechanic's lien matters generally, with statutory fee-shifting available under § 87-7-3 (Prompt Payment Act) and certain Mississippi public-bond claim provisions.
Mississippi-Specific Construction Law Issues
Mississippi is procedurally distinctive thanks to the modernized 2014 HB 1289 construction lien framework, the § 85-7-407 30-day sub-tier pre-lien notice obligation, the § 85-7-413 90-day Claim of Lien filing window from last furnishing (shorter than most states), the § 85-7-421 180-day automatic-extinguishment regime (one of the shortest enforcement windows in U.S. mechanic's lien law), the § 85-7-415 payment bond substitution option, the Mississippi public works bond regime under Miss. Code Ann. § 31-5-51 (the Mississippi 'little Miller Act'), the Mississippi Prompt Payment Act, and the Mississippi State Board of Contractors licensing regime under Miss. Code Ann. § 31-3-1 et seq.
Michael Evan's Mississippi Network
Mechanics Lien Management is anchored by Michael Evan — founder of Mechanics Lien Management, a construction-payment software platform. For Mississippi matters, the Mechanics Lien Management attorney review service connects contractors with vetted Mississippi construction attorneys — including Mississippi Bar Construction Law Section members in Hinds, Harrison, Madison, Rankin, DeSoto, Lee, Forrest, Lauderdale, Lowndes, Lafayette, Jackson, Warren, and Adams counties.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a Mississippi contractor need a construction attorney?
When (1) a payment dispute exceeds $20,000, (2) the § 85-7-407 30-day sub-tier pre-lien notice deadline is approaching, (3) the § 85-7-413 90-day Claim of Lien filing deadline is approaching, (4) the § 85-7-421 180-day enforcement deadline is approaching, (5) a § 85-7-405 Notice of Commencement is being recorded and the § 85-7-415 payment bond option is being evaluated, (6) the project is a Mississippi public works project and a bond claim under Miss. Code Ann. § 31-5-51 is required, (7) the Mississippi Prompt Payment Act under Miss. Code Ann. § 87-7-3 is being asserted, or (8) Mississippi State Board of Contractors licensure under § 31-3-1 et seq. is in play.
How much does a Mississippi construction attorney cost?
Hourly rates run $225–$425 in downtown Jackson, Gulfport-Biloxi, Madison-Rankin, and the DeSoto/Memphis corridor, with senior partners at construction-focused firms charging $350–$550. Tupelo, Hattiesburg, Oxford, Meridian, and Columbus run $200–$375. Greenville, Cleveland, Natchez, Vicksburg, and Mississippi's smaller-market counties run $175–$325. Flat fees for § 85-7-405 Notices of Commencement $300–$900; § 85-7-407 pre-lien notices $200–$500; § 85-7-413 Claims of Lien $400–$1,200; § 85-7-421 enforcement filings $3,000–$7,500. Contingency arrangements (25%–40%) are common. Initial consultations typically free.
What is unique about Mississippi construction lien law?
Five features make Mississippi distinctive: the modernized 2014 HB 1289 framework under Miss. Code Ann. § 85-7-401 et seq.; the § 85-7-407 30-day sub-tier pre-lien notice obligation running from first furnishing; the § 85-7-413 90-day Claim of Lien filing window from last furnishing (shorter than most states); the § 85-7-421 180-day automatic-extinguishment regime (one of the shortest enforcement windows in U.S. mechanic's lien law); and recording with the chancery clerk in each of Mississippi's 82 counties (distinct from neighboring Louisiana parish recorders, Tennessee registers of deeds, Alabama probate judges, and Arkansas circuit clerks).
How do I find a vetted Mississippi construction attorney?
Three paths: the Mississippi Bar Lawyer Referral Service at msbar.org, the Mississippi Bar Construction Law Section member directory, and the Mechanics Lien Management Mississippi attorney network filtered by county, claim size, and matter type. Ask specifically about post-2014 HB 1289 framework experience: how many § 85-7-413 Claims of Lien recorded with the chancery clerk, how many § 85-7-407 pre-lien notices served by certified mail, how many § 85-7-421 enforcement suits handled in Mississippi Circuit Court or Chancery Court, and how many Mississippi public-bond claims under § 31-5-51 worked.
Can a Mississippi construction attorney work on contingency?
Yes, when (1) the underlying debt is liquid and well-documented, (2) the § 85-7-407 pre-lien notice has been timely served (sub-tier) and the § 85-7-413 Claim of Lien has been or will be timely recorded, (3) the § 85-7-421 180-day enforcement deadline is not imminent, and (4) the property has equity (or a § 85-7-415 payment bond is in place). Typical contingency rates are 25%–40%. Mississippi follows the American Rule on fees in mechanic's lien matters generally, so contingency engagements price somewhat more cautiously than in Texas (with § 53.156 fee-shifting).
Do I need a Mississippi construction attorney to file a Claim of Lien?
Not legally required, but strongly recommended above $20,000. The Mississippi construction lien framework has multiple traps — particularly the § 85-7-407 30-day pre-lien notice deadline (the most common sub-tier lien forfeiture), the § 85-7-413 90-day Claim of Lien window from last furnishing, the defective-legal-description risk at chancery-clerk indexing, the § 85-7-421 180-day automatic-extinguishment of recorded Claims of Lien, and the Mississippi public-bond claim timing under § 31-5-51 if the project turns out to be public. Attorney review of a Mississippi Claim of Lien before filing typically costs $400–$1,200.
What is the Mississippi Bar Construction Law Section?
The Mississippi Bar Construction Law Section is a voluntary section for attorneys actively practicing construction law in Mississippi. Members publish, attend specialty CLEs, and stay current on the post-2014 HB 1289 framework under Miss. Code Ann. § 85-7-401 et seq., Mississippi public works bond claims under § 31-5-51 (Mississippi 'little Miller Act'), Mississippi Prompt Payment Act enforcement under § 87-7-3, and Mississippi State Board of Contractors licensing under § 31-3-1. Member directories are searchable at msbar.org.