Search Arkansas Court Records

Arkansas court records are public documents kept by the Circuit Clerk in each of the state's 75 counties. Select a county or city below to find case search tools, courthouse contact information, and how to get copies of court records.

Where to Find Arkansas Court Records

Court records in Arkansas are held at the county level. The Circuit Clerk in each county is the official custodian of all circuit court files. That office holds civil case files, criminal case records, domestic relations cases, probate matters, and juvenile cases. The Circuit Clerk is an elected position. Every one of Arkansas's 75 counties has one. They are required to maintain these records and make them open to the public under state law and Arkansas Supreme Court rules.

The main tool for searching Arkansas court records online is Search ARCourts, which replaced the older Public CourtConnect system. This portal pulls case data from the Contexte Case Management System used by most Arkansas courts. You can search by party name, business name, case number, or case type. Results show filing dates, case status, judge names, attorney names, and scheduled hearings. For many counties, docket entries and links to filed documents are also available. The search is free and runs around the clock.

If you need the full case file or a certified copy of a document, contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed. You can visit in person, call, or mail a written request. The clerk can pull files by party name or case number. Most offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Standard copy fees run $0.25 to $0.50 per page for plain copies. A certified copy costs $5.00 in most counties.

The Arkansas Judiciary website also provides self-help resources and downloadable court forms. The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) manages court automation statewide. Their office is at 625 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. Main phone: (501) 682-9400. Email: aoc@arkansas.gov.

The Arkansas Judiciary official website is the primary entry point for all court information, links to the Search ARCourts case portal, and directories for every court in the state.

The site also hosts court forms, administrative orders including Administrative Order 19, and the full directory of circuit and district courts across all 75 counties.

Arkansas Court Records Online Search

The Search ARCourts portal is the state's primary free case search tool. It replaced the old Public CourtConnect system and offers a more streamlined search experience that covers more courts than before. All 75 circuit courts provide case statistical information through this system. Most also offer more detailed records through the Contexte platform.

When you search, you can look up a party by first name, middle name, and last name. You can also search by business name, case number, or case type. The system lets you look for judgments against a person or company, browse cases filed by date, and check docket filings within a date range. Each case record shows the Case ID, party type and contact information, the case description and type, filing date, the judge presiding, citation number, docket start and end dates, the court location, current case status, all attorneys on the case, future hearing dates, dispositions, and links to documents where available. The search is free for everyone.

Not everything is online. Cases filed before January 1, 2009 may be incomplete or require manual redaction of confidential details. Sealed cases, expunged records, and juvenile matters are not in the online system. Records restricted under Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order 19 are also withheld. For anything not showing up in the portal, contact the court clerk directly or send a mail request.

Technical support for Search ARCourts is available at (501) 410-1900 option 1, or toll-free at (866) 823-5778. You can also email acap.help@arcourts.gov. The system is provided as a public service and is not meant for commercial data collection, which is prohibited under Administrative Order 19.

The Search ARCourts system is the official free case lookup portal for Arkansas, providing public access to circuit and district court case information from courts across all 75 counties.

The portal is updated regularly and provides case details including status, party names, attorneys, docket entries, and scheduled hearing dates for courts statewide.

Arkansas Circuit Court Records

Circuit courts are the main trial courts in Arkansas. They carry general jurisdiction and handle the most complex and serious cases filed in the state. Arkansas has 28 judicial circuits covering all 75 counties. Some circuits serve just one county; others cover several. Each circuit has at least one Circuit Court judge, and judges are elected by popular vote to six-year terms.

Circuit courts handle felony criminal cases, civil cases where the amount in dispute is over $25,000, domestic relations cases including divorce and custody, probate and estate cases, juvenile cases, and appeals from district courts. The Circuit Clerk in each county manages the case files and records for all of these types. They also serve as ex-officio recorder for real property documents in most counties, which means land records and court records often live in the same office.

To access circuit court records in person, go to the Circuit Clerk's office at the county courthouse. You request copies, and the clerk pulls the file. Most counties charge $0.25 to $0.50 per page for plain copies. Certified copies are $5.00 in most counties. Call ahead to confirm hours, fees, and accepted payment methods. Contact details for each county's Circuit Clerk are in the Arkansas Circuit Courts directory.

The Arkansas Circuit Courts information page provides a full directory of all 28 judicial circuits with judges, clerks, and contact information for every county courthouse in the state.

Each of the 75 Arkansas counties falls under one of the 28 circuits, and the Circuit Clerk for that county is the official keeper of all public case files in that area.

Arkansas District Court Records

District courts are limited jurisdiction courts in Arkansas. They handle misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, preliminary hearings on felony charges, civil matters under $25,000, small claims cases, landlord and tenant disputes, and county ordinance violations. District courts vary in size and structure. Some cities operate their own municipal courts. Judges in district courts may serve multiple districts at once.

A number of district courts participate in the Search ARCourts online portal. Participating courts include those in Crawford County, Craighead County, Crittenden County, Faulkner County, Garland County, Hot Spring County, Independence County, Poinsett County (Tyronza Department), Polk County, Pulaski County, Pulaski County Little Rock Department, Van Buren County, and White County Searcy Department. For courts not on this list, you may need to call or visit the court directly to request records.

Arkansas also runs over 100 specialty courts statewide, including 46 drug courts, 16 veterans treatment courts, 14 DWI courts, and 2 mental health courts. Access to records from these specialty courts may differ depending on the case type. The full list of district courts statewide is in the Arkansas District Courts directory.

The Arkansas District Courts information page lists all district courts by county with jurisdiction details, judge information, and contact data for misdemeanor, traffic, and civil cases under $25,000.

Many district courts now participate in the Search ARCourts portal, making online access to misdemeanor and traffic case records possible for those counties.

Public Access to Arkansas Court Records

Court records in Arkansas are public by default. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, found at Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq., establishes that most government records are open to any state citizen. You do not have to explain why you want records. The clerk must make records available immediately, or within three working days at most. The first hour of staff time spent on a request is free. Any time beyond that may be billed at the employee's salary rate.

Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order 19 sets the specific rules for court record access. This order defines what information inside court files is public and what must be kept confidential. Even in public files, courts must redact certain details. Information that gets redacted includes social security numbers, financial account numbers, names of minor children in certain cases, home addresses in domestic violence cases, medical records, and trade secrets. If a whole case file is sealed or expunged, the entire record is off limits to the public.

If a court or government office denies your records request, the Arkansas Attorney General operates a Freedom of Information Hotline at 1-800-482-8982. The AG's office publishes a detailed FOIA handbook updated each legislative session. The 21st Edition handbook is the current version, updated for the 94th General Assembly. It explains your rights in plain language and is available through the Arkansas Attorney General's FOIA page. The AG's office is at 323 Center St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201, phone (501) 682-2007.

The Arkansas FOIA resources page from the Attorney General provides the 21st Edition handbook, guidance on public records access rights, and FOI opinion letters covering court and government records in Arkansas.

The handbook covers request procedures, appeal rights, exemptions, and court-specific access rules including guidance on Administrative Order 19 and the types of information that courts must keep confidential.

Electronic Filing and Getting Copies

Arkansas uses a web-based electronic filing system called eFLEX (Electronic Filing Exchange), maintained by Tybera for the state courts. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys in all Arkansas Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, circuit court, and some district court cases. Attorneys must register with the AOC and complete training before they can file. For people who represent themselves, e-filing is available but not required.

For the public wanting copies of court documents, e-filing does not apply. Contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed. Plain copies run $0.25 to $0.50 per page at most counties. Certified copies cost $5.00 per certification plus copy fees. Some counties accept mail requests with a check or money order and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call first to confirm the process and current fees. Turnaround for mail requests varies from a few days to a couple of weeks.

The Arkansas eFLEX system handles mandatory e-filing for all circuit courts and participating district courts, with a $20 electronic filing fee for new cases under Administrative Order 21.

Technical support for eFLEX is available at (866) 823-5778, and attorneys can reach the filing team at courts.efiling@arcourts.gov for account and submission help.

Appellate Court Records in Arkansas

Arkansas has two appellate courts above the circuit court level. The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court and the final authority on state law. The Arkansas Court of Appeals handles appeals from circuit court decisions and hears a large volume of cases each year. Both courts issue written opinions. The Supreme Court's opinions go back to 1837 and are available online at opinions.aoc.arkansas.gov. Since spring term 2009, the Arkansas Judiciary website has been the official publication venue for Supreme Court opinions.

The Clerk of the Courts office manages records for both appellate courts. Their office is at 625 Marshall Street, Suite 130, Justice Building, Little Rock, AR 72201. Phone: (501) 682-6849. Fax: (501) 682-6845. They collect annual license fees for attorneys and court reporters, manage appellate case records, and maintain attorney admission records. If you need a copy of an appellate opinion or want to check the status of a pending appeal, start here or use the opinions database.

The Clerk of the Courts appellate office maintains all Arkansas Supreme Court and Court of Appeals records, with opinions from 1837 available online through the state's judicial opinions database at opinions.aoc.arkansas.gov.

The appellate clerk's office at the Justice Building in Little Rock is the official custodian of all state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals case files.

Federal Court Records in Arkansas

Arkansas has two federal judicial districts. The Eastern District of Arkansas has divisions in Little Rock, Jonesboro, and Pine Bluff. The main courthouse is the Richard Sheppard Arnold United States Courthouse at 500 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201. Phone: (501) 604-5351. Email: clerksoffice@ared.uscourts.gov. This district handles federal civil and criminal cases for the eastern half of Arkansas.

The Western District of Arkansas serves the western half of the state with divisions in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Hot Springs, Texarkana, and El Dorado. Both districts maintain their own bankruptcy courts as well. Federal court records are separate from state court records and are accessed through the PACER system at pacer.uscourts.gov. PACER requires registration and charges $0.10 per page for most online documents. Documents physically prepared by the Clerk's office cost $0.50 per page, and certification adds $12.00 per document.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas handles federal civil and criminal cases from Little Rock, Jonesboro, and Pine Bluff, with all records accessible through the federal PACER system.

The Eastern District courthouse at 500 West Capitol Avenue in Little Rock is the primary federal court records repository for the eastern half of Arkansas.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas covers six divisions including Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and Texarkana, with federal civil and criminal records accessible through PACER for the western half of the state.

The Western District handles all federal cases filed in western Arkansas and maintains separate records from state court systems through the federal PACER platform.

Court Kiosks and Legal Help

Arkansas has 112 court kiosks statewide installed through a partnership between the Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, the Court Improvement Program, and the AOC. These kiosks are in every circuit court and select district courts. The goal is at least one kiosk in every county. At a kiosk, you can look up court records, print exhibits, find court forms, and apply for legal aid. Use is free during courthouse hours. The program runs through ARCourtKiosk.org, which also provides online access to the same resources.

Legal aid services are available across Arkansas for those who qualify based on income. The Center for Arkansas Legal Services covers central Arkansas. Phone: (501) 376-3423. Legal Aid of Arkansas handles the rest of the state. Phone: (870) 972-9224. The State Bar of Arkansas runs a lawyer referral service at (501) 375-4606 for anyone who needs to find a licensed attorney. The Bar's online directory is at arkbar.com.

For the Arkansas Crime Information Center and background check requests, contact the Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC) under the Department of Public Safety. The ACIC provides criminal history information and background check services. A standard background check costs $25.00. The ACIC also maintains the Sex Offender Registry and provides data to authorized agencies statewide.

Browse Arkansas Court Records by County

Arkansas court records are maintained county by county. Each of the 75 counties has a Circuit Clerk that holds the official case files for that area. Select a county below to find local contact details, online access links, and resources specific to that county.

View All 75 Arkansas Counties

Arkansas Court Records by City

Major cities in Arkansas file court cases at the Circuit Court in their county. Select a city below to find the right courthouse, contact information, and resources for court records in your area.

View All Major Arkansas Cities