Personal jurisdiction is the authority a court has to make legally enforceable orders related to a person or entity and the property of the person or entity, and usually arises when a person has been sued in a lawsuit. For a court to have personal jurisdiction, the person or entity generally (1) must be a resident of the state in which the court is located; (2) as a nonresident, must have initiated sufficient minimum contacts with the state in which the lawsuit is filed; or (3) must have agreed to be governed by the laws of the state (in a contract or website terms) in which the lawsuit is filed.

In Mississippi, personal jurisdiction refers to the power of a Mississippi court to bring a person or entity into its legal process and to make decisions that are binding upon them. For a Mississippi court to have personal jurisdiction, typically, the defendant must have a substantial connection to the state. This can be established if the defendant is a resident of Mississippi or if the defendant, as a nonresident, has sufficient minimum contacts with the state. Minimum contacts might include conducting business in Mississippi, owning property in the state, or committing a tortious act within the state. Additionally, a person or entity can consent to the jurisdiction of Mississippi courts by agreeing to it in a contract, such as including a forum selection clause in the terms of a contract or on a website. Mississippi courts will also consider the principles of fairness and substantial justice when determining if asserting personal jurisdiction is appropriate. The specifics of personal jurisdiction are governed by Mississippi state statutes, case law, and the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, as well as applicable federal laws and constitutional principles.