Mississippi § 11-21-5 - Parties to proceedings for partition.

§ 11-21-5. Parties to proceedings for partition.

Any of the parties in interest, whether infants or adults, may institute proceedings for the partition of lands or for a partition sale thereof, by judgment of court as herein provided. All persons in interest must be made parties except (a) in cases where a part of the freehold is owned by persons owning a life estate therein or a life tenancy therein subject to the rights of remaindermen or reversioners, then, in such event, it shall only be necessary that the person or persons owning or claiming a life estate or life tenancy therein be made parties; and (b) in cases where the partition is for the surface of the land only, it shall not be necessary that persons owning divided or undivided interests in the minerals in the land be made parties unless such persons also have an interest in the surface of the land. An infant, or person of unsound mind, may sue by next friend as in other cases; but if the infant, or non compos mentis, have a guardian, the guardian must appear as next friend, unless good cause to the contrary be shown. Where an infant or non compos is made a party defendant, the guardian, if any, of such infant or non compos shall also be made a party, whether the infant or non compos be resident or nonresident and whether the guardian be a resident or a nonresident; and the said guardian may appear and answer the complaint. The summons to the defendants, including the guardian aforesaid, shall be made pursuant to the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. The word “guardian,” where used in this section, shall be held to apply also to all persons who, under the laws of any other state or country, stand in that relation whether known as curator, tutor, committee or conservator, or by whatever other name or title such person may be known.