diff --git a/backend/services/ticket_pagination_service.py b/backend/services/ticket_pagination_service.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..521e0f547
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/services/ticket_pagination_service.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"""
+Server-Side Ticket Pagination, Filtering, and Sorting Service.
+Provides offset pagination, multi-attribute filtering, and dynamic field sorting for GET /tickets (#3978).
+"""
+
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
+
+
+class TicketPaginationService:
+    """
+    Pagination, filtering, and sorting engine for ticket listings.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, default_page_size: int = 20, max_page_size: int = 100):
+        self.default_page_size = default_page_size
+        self.max_page_size = max_page_size
+
+    def paginate_tickets(
+        self,
+        tickets: List[Dict[str, Any]],
+        page: int = 1,
+        limit: Optional[int] = None,
+        status: Optional[str] = None,
+        priority: Optional[str] = None,
+        sort_by: str = "created_at",
+        order: str = "desc",
+    ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        """
+        Filter, sort, and paginate tickets list.
+        """
+        page = max(1, page)
+        page_size = limit if limit and limit > 0 else self.default_page_size
+        page_size = min(page_size, self.max_page_size)
+
+        filtered = tickets
+
+        # Apply status filter
+        if status:
+            filtered = [t for t in filtered if t.get("status") == status]
+
+        # Apply priority filter
+        if priority:
+            filtered = [t for t in filtered if t.get("priority") == priority]
+
+        # Apply sorting
+        reverse = (order.lower() == "desc")
+        filtered = sorted(
+            filtered,
+            key=lambda t: t.get(sort_by) or "",
+            reverse=reverse,
+        )
+
+        # Apply pagination window
+        total_items = len(filtered)
+        total_pages = (total_items + page_size - 1) // page_size if total_items > 0 else 1
+        start_idx = (page - 1) * page_size
+        end_idx = start_idx + page_size
+
+        paginated_items = filtered[start_idx:end_idx]
+
+        return {
+            "items": paginated_items,
+            "page": page,
+            "limit": page_size,
+            "total_items": total_items,
+            "total_pages": total_pages,
+            "has_next": page < total_pages,
+            "has_prev": page > 1,
+        }
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_ticket_pagination_service.py b/backend/tests/test_ticket_pagination_service.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4697c6ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_ticket_pagination_service.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import pytest
+from backend.services.ticket_pagination_service import TicketPaginationService
+
+
+def test_paginate_tickets_returns_correct_window():
+    service = TicketPaginationService(default_page_size=2)
+    sample_tickets = [
+        {"id": 1, "created_at": "2026-08-01T10:00:00Z", "status": "open", "priority": "high"},
+        {"id": 2, "created_at": "2026-08-02T10:00:00Z", "status": "open", "priority": "low"},
+        {"id": 3, "created_at": "2026-08-03T10:00:00Z", "status": "closed", "priority": "high"},
+    ]
+
+    res = service.paginate_tickets(sample_tickets, page=1, limit=2, sort_by="created_at", order="desc")
+    assert len(res["items"]) == 2
+    assert res["items"][0]["id"] == 3
+    assert res["total_items"] == 3
+    assert res["total_pages"] == 2
+    assert res["has_next"] is True
+
+
+def test_paginate_tickets_filters_by_status_and_priority():
+    service = TicketPaginationService()
+    sample_tickets = [
+        {"id": 1, "status": "open", "priority": "high"},
+        {"id": 2, "status": "closed", "priority": "high"},
+        {"id": 3, "status": "open", "priority": "low"},
+    ]
+
+    res = service.paginate_tickets(sample_tickets, status="open", priority="high")
+    assert res["total_items"] == 1
+    assert res["items"][0]["id"] == 1
+
+
+def test_paginate_tickets_empty_list_returns_default_pagination():
+    service = TicketPaginationService()
+    res = service.paginate_tickets([])
+    assert res["total_items"] == 0
+    assert res["items"] == []
+    assert res["total_pages"] == 1