SELECT...FROM maintable
LEFTJOIN table1 on(maintable.id = table1.idx)LEFTJOIN table2 on(table1.idy = table2.idy)LEFTJOIN table3 on(table2.idz = table3.idz)WHERE(condition1 OR condition2 OR condition3)AND maintable.status = static

//condition1 & condition2 & condition3 are kind of
table3.idz =101, table3.idz =3, maintable.id IN(1,2,3,4),and so on

For the results I want entries that meet condition1 to be returned first, then entries that meet condition2, and finally entries that meet condition3. Any ideas?

To get the sorting in the order you want, use your conditions in the ORDER BY, but use DESC after them. SELECT * FROM person WHERE (condition1 OR condition2 OR condition3) AND maintable.status = static ORDER BY condition1 DESC, condition2 DESC, condition3 DESC If this doesn't work because your query is more complex, then you can use boolean logic to change your query (A OR B OR C) AND D into (A AND D) OR (B AND D) OR (C AND D) then you can use the following query: SELECT * FROM person WHERE (condition1 OR condition2 OR condition3) AND maintable.status = static ORDER BY condition1 AND static DESC, condition2 AND static DESC, condition3 AND static DESC The AND static is not necessary here because all rows return it, but in a more complex example (where you also return some rows which are not static) then you would have to do it in this way.