Mississippi Code Title 11. Civil Practice and Procedure § 11-19-19

The defendants, or any of them, shall be allowed to answer or otherwise defend the action, either jointly or separately. The answer, if the defendant do not admit the plaintiff's title, shall be “not guilty,” which shall be filed within the like time as required in personal actions; and under said answer the defendant may give in evidence any lawful defense to the action not inconsistent with the other provisions of this chapter. Any defendant may defend for a part only of the premises in question; and in such case the part shall be described in the answer with the same certainty required in the complaint.