COMMENCEMENT OF ACTION

(a) Filing of Complaint. A civil action is commenced by filing a complaint with the court. A costs deposit shall be made with the filing of the complaint, such deposit to be in the amount required by law and rules of the court.. (b) Proceeding In Forma Pauperis. A party may proceed in forma pauperis in accordance with sections 11-53-17 and 11-53-19 of the Mississippi Code Annotated. The court may, however, on the motion of any party, on the motion of the clerk of the court, or on its own initiative, examine the affiant as to the facts and circumstances of his pauperism. [Amended effective September 1, 1987; June 24, 1992; September 25, 2014; September 10, 2025.] Advisory Committee Historical Note Effective September 10, 2025, Rule 3(a) was amended to provide that the cost deposit shall be in an amount required by law and rules of court. Rule 3(b) [Motion for Security Costs] and 3(d) [Accounting for Costs] were deleted. Rule 3(c) [Proceeding in Forma Pauperis] was renumbered 3(b). XX So. 3d XX (Miss. 20__). Effective June 24, 1992, Rule 3(a) was amended to provide that before they are effective, the amounts of required costs deposits must be promulgated by Uniform Court Rule and approved by the Mississippi Supreme Court. 598-602 So. 2d XXI (West Miss. Cas. 1992). Effective September 1, 1987, Rule 3(e) was amended by providing that the amount required as a deposit for filing suit shall be the amount required by the Uniform Rule governing the court in which the action is filed. 508-511 So. 2d XXV (West Miss. Cas. 1988). Advisory Committee Notes Rule 3(a) establishes a precise date for fixing the commencement of a civil action. The first step in a civil action is the filing of the complaint with the clerk or judge. Service of process upon the defendant is not essential to commencement of the action, but Rule 4(h) 3 does require service of the summons and complaint within 120 days after the filing of the complaint. Ascertaining the precise date of commencement is important in determining whether an action has been brought prematurely; whether it is barred by a statute of limitations; and which of two or more courts in which actions involving the same parties and issues have been instituted should retain the case for disposition, absent special considerations. The provisions in Rule 3 pertaining to costs are intended to make uniform the assessing, accounting for, and funding of costs. Rule 3(b) allows indigents to sue without depositing security for costs; however, the indigent affiant may be examined as to affiant’s financial condition and the court may, if the allegation of indigency is false, dismiss the action. [Advisory Committee Note adopted effectively July 1, 2014; amended September 10, 2025.] 4