Rankin County is named for Christopher Rankin, who was a member of the United State House of Representatives.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Madison County
E – Scott County and Smith County
S – Simpson County
W – Hinds County
Created: February 4, 1828 
County Seat:
Brandon 1828 – present
County Courthouse – Brandon
Location: 205 East Government Street / North Street
Built: 1924 – 1925
Style: Italian Renaissance and Classical Revival
Architect: Noah Webster Overstreet, Sr. of Jackson
Contractor: Beckelheimer & Small
Description: The building faces south and is a three story buff colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on a rise on landscaped grounds in the center of Brandon facing Town Square. The south front has a central section with entrance on the east and west side with small iron rail balcony above. In the center are three windows with arched windows on the second story. The third story has small windows. The front has decorative terra cotta work. The east and west wings are lower. The building has a red colored tile sloped roof. In the interior, the County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the county administration. The rear addition was constructed in 1957. The architect was Overstreet, Ware & Ware and the contractor was Campbell Construction Company.
See: The architect, Noah Webster Overstreet of Jackson, also designed courthouses in Alcorn County, Bolivar County, Choctaw County, Franklin County, Pontotoc County, Prentiss County, Tippah County and Webster County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Rankin County Courthouse
County Justice Center – Brandon
Location: 215 East Government Street / Timber Street
Built: 1998 – 2000
Style: Modern
Architect: Dean and Dean / Associated Architects
Contractor: Evan Johnson & Sons Construction. Inc.
Description: The building faces south and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on the east side of the courthouse in the center of Brandon. The south front has a central entrance on the first story with large window above on the second story. Vertical dividers separate narrow vertical windows. The first story has square openings with arched windows above on the second story. A lower wing extends from the west side. The building has sloped red colored title roofs. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 20th Judicial District.
Chancery Court and Justice Court Building – Brandon
Location: 201 North Street / Tamberline Street
Built: 2018 – 2020
Style: Modern
Architect: JH&H Architects of Flowood
Contractor: Chris Albritton Construction of Laurel
Description: The building faces east and is a two story gray colored limestone, gray and brown colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located in the center of Brandon to the north of the courthouse. The windows are vertical and the roof line is flat. The first story has two courtrooms for the County Justice Court and the second story has four courtrooms for the County Chancery Court.
County Juvenile Justice Center – Pelahatchie
Location: 100 Court Cove / Industrial Road
Built: 2010 – 2011
Style: Modern
Architect: JBHM Architects ( Johnson Bailey Henderson McNeel )
Contractor: Evan Johnson & Sons Construction. Inc. of Pearl
Description: The building faces southwest and is a one story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds. The southwest front has a projecting central section with glass panel entrance with concrete tower rising two stories. A wide canopy supported by metal columns runs along the front. The main building which is faced with buff colored brick runs east and west. The roof line is flat.
See: The 20th Judicial District includes Madison County.
History: The county was created in 1828 and Brandon was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a two story log structure built in 1833. The courthouse was demolished and the Brandon Bank located on the southwest corner of Town Square became the second courthouse. The courthouse burned in 1851 and a residence on College Street became the third courthouse until the fourth courthouse, a two story structure was built in 1853. The courthouse burned in 1924. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 1924 to 1925. The County Justice Center was constructed in 1998 to 2000. The Juvenile Justice Center was built in Pelahatchie in 2010b to 2011. The County Chancery Court and Justice Court Building was constructed in 2018 to 2020 at a cost of $20,000,000.
County Courthouse – Brandon
County Citcuit Court courtroom
County Justice Center – Brandon
County Juvenile Justice Center – Pelahatchie
Photos taken 2012 and 2017