Rule 53.Masters, Referees, and Commissioners

Chapter VI: Trials · Last amended April 13, 2000 · Last verified July 14, 2026

In one sentenceRule 53 lets a court appoint masters — including referees, auditors, examiners, and commissioners — to handle a referred issue of fact or law, sets out their powers and reporting duties, and lets a court appoint a non-attorney special commissioner for judicially ordered sales or partitions.

Full Text of Rule 53

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

(a) Appointment and Compensation. The court may appoint one or more persons in each county to be masters of the court, and the court in which any action is pending may appoint a special master therein. As used in these rules, the word “Master” includes a referee, an auditor, an examiner, a commissioner, and a special commissioner. The master shall receive a reasonable compensation for services rendered, as fixed by law or as allowed by the court and taxed in the costs and collected in the same manner as the fees of the clerk.

(b) Qualifications. The master shall be an attorney at law, authorized to practice law before all courts of the State of Mississippi. However, in extraordinary circumstances where the finding to be made is of a complex, technical, non legal nature, a person other than an attorney possessing the requisite qualifications of a person skilled in the field, area, or subject of the inquiry may be appointed as a master; additionally, persons other than attorneys may be appointed as special commissioners to conduct judicially-ordered sales and partitions of real or personal property.

(c) Reference: When Made. With the written consent of the parties, the court may refer any issue of fact or law to a master. Otherwise, a reference shall be made only upon a showing that some exceptional condition requires it.

(d) Powers. The order of reference to the master may specify or limit his powers and may direct him to report only upon particular issues or to do or perform particular acts or to receive and report evidence only and may fix the time and place for beginning and closing the hearing and for the filing of the master’s report. Subject to the specifications and limitations stated in the order, the master has and shall exercise the power to regulate all proceedings in every hearing before him and to do all acts and take all measures necessary or proper for the efficient performance of his duties under the order. He may require the production before him of evidence upon all matters embraced in the reference, including the production of all books, papers, vouchers, documents, and writings applicable thereto. He shall have the power to administer oaths, to take the examination of witnesses in cases pending in any court, to examine and report upon all matters referred to him, and to execute all decrees directed to him to be executed.

Masters shall have the power to direct the issuance of subpoenas for witnesses to attend before them to testify in any matter referred to them or generally in the cause. If any witness shall fail to appear, the master shall proceed by process to compel the witness to attend and give evidence.

(e) Proceedings. When a reference is made, the clerk shall forthwith furnish the master with a certified copy of the order of reference, which shall constitute sufficient certification of his authority. Upon receipt thereof, unless the order of reference otherwise provides, the master shall forthwith set a time and place for the first meeting of the parties or their attorneys which is to be held in any event within ten days following the date of the order of reference and shall notify the parties or their attorneys. It is the duty of the master to proceed with all reasonable diligence. Either party, on notice to the parties and master, may apply to the court for an order requiring the master to speed the proceedings and to make his report. If a party fails to appear at the time and place appointed, the master may proceed ex parte or, in his discretion, may adjourn the proceedings to a future day, giving notice of same to the absent party.

(f) Statements of Account. The court may direct an account to be taken in any cause in vacation or in term, and when the master shall doubt as to the principles upon which the account shall be taken or as to the propriety of admitting any item of debit or credit claimed by either party, he may state in writing the points on which he shall doubt and submit same for decision to the court in vacation or in term.

(g) Report.

(1) Contents and Filing. The master shall prepare a report upon the matters submitted to him by the order of reference and, if required to make findings of fact and conclusions of law, he shall set them forth in the report. He shall file the report with the clerk of the court and, unless otherwise directed by the order of reference, shall file with it a transcript of the proceeding and of the evidence in the original exhibits. The clerk shall forthwith mail to all parties notice of the filing.

(2) Acceptance and Objections. The court shall accept the master’s findings of fact unless manifestly wrong. Within ten days after being served with notice of the filing of the report any party may serve written objections thereto upon the other parties. Application to the court for action upon the report and upon objections thereto shall be by motion and upon notice as provided by Rule 6(d). The court after hearing may adopt the report or modify it or may reject it in whole or in any part or may receive further evidence or may recommit it with instructions.

(3) Stipulation as to Findings. The effect of a master’s report is the same regardless of whether the parties have consented to the reference; however, when the parties stipulate that a master’s finding of fact shall be final, only questions of law arising upon the report shall thereafter be considered.

(4) Draft Report. Before filing his report a master may submit a draft thereof to counsel for all parties for the purpose of receiving their suggestions.

(h) Bond; When Required. The court may require a special commissioner appointed to conduct a sale of any property to give bond in such penalty and with sufficient sureties to be approved as the court may direct, payable to the State of Mississippi, and conditioned to pay according to law all money which may come into his hands as such special commissioner. The bond shall be filed with the court. For any breach of its condition, execution may be issued on order of the court for the sum due. However, when the clerk of the court or the sheriff is appointed to make a sale and the order does not provide for a bond, the official bond of the clerk or the sheriff shall be held as security in the premises.

End

Amendment History

Effective April 13, 2000, Rule 53(c) was amended to give the court discretion to appoint a master on the written consent of the parties without a showing of an exceptional condition. 753-754 So. 2d. XVII (West Miss.Cas. 2000). Effective March 1, 1989, Rule 53 was amended to correct a typographical error. 536-538 So. 2d XXVII (West Miss. Cas. 1989).

Plain-English Summary

Rule 53 gives courts a way to hand off part of a case to someone else to investigate and report back. The rule's definition of "master" is broad, sweeping in referees, auditors, examiners, commissioners, and special commissioners, and the master earns reasonable compensation fixed by law or the court, taxed as part of the costs. A master ordinarily must be an attorney licensed to practice in Mississippi, though the rule carves out room for a non-attorney with the right expertise when the finding needed is complex and technical rather than legal — and a non-attorney can also serve as a special commissioner running a court-ordered sale or partition of property.

A reference to a master can happen by the parties' written consent on any issue, or without consent only when some exceptional condition requires it. Once the court refers a matter, the order can narrow the master's job to particular issues or tasks, or leave the master to receive and report evidence generally, and it can set deadlines for the hearing and the report. Within those bounds, the master runs the proceeding — administering oaths, examining witnesses, directing subpoenas, and compelling a witness who doesn't show up. The master must set the first meeting with the parties within ten days of the reference and move the matter along with reasonable diligence; either side can ask the court to speed things up.

The master's report goes to the clerk along with a transcript and exhibits unless the referring order says otherwise, and the clerk notifies every party once it's filed. Any party then has ten days to serve written objections. The court must accept the master's factual findings unless they're manifestly wrong, and it can adopt, modify, reject, or send the report back with instructions, or take more evidence itself. If the parties stipulated in advance that the master's findings would be final, only questions of law survive for the court to decide. A master may also circulate a draft report to counsel before filing it, to gather their input. Finally, when a special commissioner is appointed to conduct a sale, the court can require a bond payable to the State of Mississippi to secure any money that passes through the commissioner's hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a "master" under Mississippi's civil rules?

Rule 53(a) defines the term broadly to include a referee, an auditor, an examiner, a commissioner, and a special commissioner — any person the court appoints to handle a matter referred to them under this rule.

Does a master have to be a licensed attorney?

Generally yes. Rule 53(b) requires a master to be an attorney authorized to practice in Mississippi, but it allows a non-attorney with the relevant expertise when the finding needed is complex and technical rather than legal, and non-attorneys may also serve as special commissioners conducting sales or partitions.

Can a court refer an issue to a master without both parties agreeing?

Yes, but only upon a showing that some exceptional condition requires it. With the parties' written consent, the court can refer any issue of fact or law to a master without that showing.

How long do I have to object to a master's report?

Rule 53(g)(2) gives you ten days after being served notice that the report was filed to serve written objections on the other parties.

Is a master's factual findings binding on the trial court?

The court must accept the master's findings of fact unless they are manifestly wrong. If the parties stipulated in advance that the master's findings would be final, Rule 53(g)(3) limits the court to deciding only the legal questions the report raises.

Source & verification. Rule text and Advisory Committee Notes are reproduced verbatim from the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the Supreme Court of Mississippi. Last verified July 14, 2026. · Official source

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