Mississippi

Liable Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony

“It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the practice of law in this state who has not been licensed according to law. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of Section 97-23-43*. Any person who shall for fee or reward or promise, directly or indirectly, write or dictate any paper or instrument of writing, to be filed in any cause or proceeding pending, or to be instituted in any court in this state, or give any counsel or advice therein, or who shall write or dictate any bill of sale, deed of conveyance, deed of trust, mortgage, contract, or last will and testament, or shall make or certify to any abstract of title to real estate other than his own or in which he may own an interest, shall be held to be engaged in the practice of law. This section shall not, however, prevent title or abstract of title guaranty companies incorporated under the laws of this state from making abstract or certifying titles to real estate where it acts through some person as agent, authorized under the laws of the State of Mississippi to practice law; nor shall this section prevent any abstract company chartered under the laws of the State of Mississippi with a paid-up capital of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) or more from making or certifying to abstracts of title to real estate through the president, secretary or other principal officer of such company.”

§ 97-23-43

“If any person shall practice as an attorney and counsellor-at-law, or shall practice as a physician or surgeon, or shall practice as a dentist, or shall practice as a pharmacist, without having first been examined and obtained a license as required by law, he shall, on conviction, of the first offense, be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred ($100.00) dollars or more than two hundred ($200.00) dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail not less than three months or more than twelve months or both; and such person, upon conviction of the second offense against this section, shall be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred ($200.00) dollars or more than five hundred ($500.00) dollars or by imprisonment in the penitentiary not less than one year or more than two years; and such person, upon conviction of any succeeding offense, shall be punished in the discretion of the court; provided, however, that such punishment shall in no case exceed the payment of a fine of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or imprisonment for five years.”

§ 73-3-55, § 97-23-43