Arkansas County Court Records
Arkansas County court records are public documents you can search and obtain through the Circuit Clerk offices in DeWitt and Stuttgart. The county uses a dual-seat system, and knowing which district applies to your case matters before you start. This guide covers how to find court records online, what cases the circuit court handles, how to get copies in person or by mail, and where to find land records and related filings. Whether you need a civil judgment, a criminal case docket, or a certified copy of a court order, this page walks you through your options.
Arkansas County Court Records Overview
Arkansas County Circuit Clerk Office
The Arkansas County Circuit Clerk serves both the Southern District at DeWitt and the Northern District at Stuttgart. This dual-seat arrangement is one of only a few like it in the state. When you need a court record, you must contact or visit the courthouse in the district where the case was filed. Both offices maintain complete records for their respective district.
Standard office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. To get copies in person, bring the case number or party name and be ready to pay copy fees. Plain copies run $0.25 to $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus the per-page copying fee. Mail requests are accepted. Send a written request with the case number, your contact information, and a check or money order for the expected fee to the appropriate courthouse.
The Circuit Clerk is an elected position. The clerk handles all circuit court records and also serves as the ex-officio recorder for real estate documents in the county. That means deeds, mortgages, and liens recorded in Arkansas County go through this same office.
Note: File your case at the correct district courthouse in Arkansas County since DeWitt serves the Southern District and Stuttgart serves the Northern District.
Search Arkansas County Cases Online
The state provides a free online search tool called Search ARCourts, accessible at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. This system replaced the older CourtConnect portal and covers Arkansas County circuit court cases. You can search by party name, business name, case number, or citation. Results show case type, filing date, parties involved, assigned judge, current status, and upcoming hearing dates.
The Search ARCourts portal is available around the clock at no charge. Keep in mind that records created before January 1, 2009 may not be fully available through the online system. Sealed cases, expunged records, and juvenile matters are not accessible through the public portal under Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order 19.
If you need older records or cannot find what you need online, contact the Circuit Clerk directly. The staff can do a manual search during business hours. Technical support for the online search portal is available by phone at (501) 410-1900 or toll-free at (866) 823-5778.
The screenshot below shows the Arkansas County Circuit Clerk website where you can find office contact details and filing information.
The Arkansas County Circuit Clerk website provides contact details, office locations, and guidance for requesting records from both the DeWitt and Stuttgart courthouses.
Visiting this site before you head to the courthouse can save time and help you confirm which district you need.
What the Circuit Court Handles
The Arkansas County Circuit Court is a court of general jurisdiction. It hears a broad range of cases that go beyond what a lower district court can decide. Understanding which court handled a case helps you know where to look for records.
The circuit court has authority over felony criminal cases, civil disputes involving amounts over $25,000, domestic relations matters including divorce and child custody, probate and estate proceedings, and juvenile cases. It also hears appeals from district court decisions. Each of these case types shows up in the circuit court records maintained by the Circuit Clerk.
For cases involving smaller dollar amounts, traffic matters, or misdemeanor charges, the district court handles those. Arkansas County District Courts deal with misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, preliminary felony hearings, civil claims under $25,000, and small claims. District court records are also accessible through the Search ARCourts system for participating courts.
The screen below shows the statewide CourtConnect system you can use to pull up Arkansas County case information from either district.
Through Search ARCourts, you can look up Arkansas County civil, criminal, domestic, and probate cases filed in both the DeWitt and Stuttgart courthouses.
The search results include case status, docket entries, and in some cases links to publicly available documents.
Note: Arkansas County circuit court cases from before 2009 may require a direct clerk request since older records are not always in the online system.
Arkansas County Land and Property Records
The Circuit Clerk also maintains land records for Arkansas County going back to county formation in 1813. These include deeds, mortgages, liens, and other documents that affect real property ownership. For real estate transactions, recorded instruments must go through the Circuit Clerk's office.
You can search Arkansas County property records online through ActDataScout. This database covers current ownership data, tax assessment information, and property transfer records. It is a useful starting point for title research or verifying ownership. For certified or official copies of recorded documents, contact the Circuit Clerk directly.
Recording fees follow state standards: $15 for the first page of a document and $5 for each additional page. These fees apply when submitting new documents for recording. Copies of already-recorded documents follow the standard copy fee schedule.
The image below shows ActDataScout's land records portal for Arkansas County.
The ActDataScout property records system lets you search Arkansas County real estate data including ownership, assessments, and recent transfers.
Use this tool for initial property research before contacting the clerk's office for official recorded copies.
Public Access Rights and FOIA in Arkansas County
Court records in Arkansas County are public records under state law. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, codified at Ark. Code Ann. ยง 25-19-101 et seq., gives any Arkansas citizen the right to request and inspect public records. Government offices must respond within three working days. Personnel records, sealed cases, and certain law enforcement materials are exempt.
The Arkansas circuit court system follows Administrative Order 19, which sets rules for what court information is public and what must be kept confidential. Social security numbers, financial account numbers, names of minor children, and certain medical data must be redacted before release. If you receive records with those items, that is why they appear blacked out.
For questions about your rights under FOIA or disputes over denied record requests, contact the Arkansas Attorney General's FOIA Hotline at 1-800-482-8982.
- Plain copies: $0.25 to $0.50 per page
- Certified court copies: $5.00 per document plus copy fees
- New case filing fee: $165.00 standard
- Recording (land records): $15 first page, $5 each additional
- Mail requests: include a check or money order payable to the Circuit Clerk
Legal Help and Court Resources
If you need legal assistance with court records or a pending case in Arkansas County, several organizations offer help at no cost or reduced cost. The Center for Arkansas Legal Services can be reached at (501) 376-3423. Legal Aid of Arkansas serves clients at (870) 972-9224. The Arkansas State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service at (501) 375-4606.
The Administrative Office of the Courts manages the statewide court system including courthouse kiosks that let you search records, print documents, and find forms. There is a kiosk available at the circuit court in both courthouse locations. The kiosk program is part of a statewide effort to improve access to court information for people who do not have attorneys.
The Arkansas Judiciary website has downloadable forms for common court filings, self-help resources for people who represent themselves, and a directory of all courts in the state. Court rules and administrative orders are posted there as well.
Note: Arkansas courthouse kiosks in both DeWitt and Stuttgart let you access case data, print court forms, and connect to legal aid resources without staff assistance.
Nearby Counties
Arkansas County borders several other counties, each with their own circuit court records systems. If a case or transaction involves more than one county, you may need to check records in neighboring jurisdictions as well.
Adjacent counties include Prairie County, Lonoke County, Jefferson County, Desha County, and Monroe County. Each has its own Circuit Clerk and participates in the statewide Search ARCourts system.