Arkansas Criminal Court Records
Arkansas criminal court records are public documents filed at the Circuit Clerk's office in the county where each case was heard. The state runs a free online portal called CourtConnect that covers most of the 75 counties, letting you search by name or case number for felony and misdemeanor cases. Some counties add their own search tools on top of that. For full case files, certified copies, or records from courts not yet on the state system, you contact the Circuit Clerk directly. This guide covers every main way to find and get Arkansas criminal court records.
Arkansas Criminal Court Records Overview
Search Arkansas Criminal Records Online
The main online tool for Arkansas criminal court records is CourtConnect. This is the official public access portal run by the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts. You can reach it at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. It is free. No account is needed to search.
CourtConnect lets you search by person name, business name, or case number. You can filter by case type, which covers criminal, civil, domestic, probate, and traffic. You can also filter by court location and date range. Results show party names, case status, filing date, hearing dates, docket entries, and disposition. Most courts do not show full document images through the portal. What you get is the case index, not the actual court papers. That said, some counties with full participation do provide document access for certain case types.
The system runs on the Contexte case management platform. Not every county in Arkansas has the same level of participation. Some counties show full details. Others show only basic index information. Records filed before a county joined the Contexte system are usually not on CourtConnect. Those require an in-person or mail request to the clerk. The system goes offline for maintenance Monday through Friday from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM and Saturday from 10:00 PM through noon Sunday. The CourtConnect help line is (501) 410-1900, Option 1. The toll-free number is (866) 823-5778. Email support goes to ORJShelp@arcourts.gov.
The screenshot below shows the CourtConnect main portal, which is the starting point for online criminal record searches in Arkansas.
CourtConnect gives free access to criminal case records from courts across all 75 Arkansas counties. You can search by name or case number and see case status, charges, and docket activity.
Note: CourtConnect shows index information only. For full documents or certified copies, or for cases filed before your county joined the system, contact the Circuit Clerk in the relevant county directly.
The Arkansas Courts Website
The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) runs the state's judicial system online hub. It sits at 625 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. The main phone line is (501) 682-9400. The AOC website provides court forms, local rules, contact information for each court across the state, self-help resources, and links to CourtConnect and the electronic filing system for attorneys. It is the first place to look when you want information about how a specific court operates or what forms you need to file.
The screenshot below shows the AOC main website.
The AOC main site at arcourts.gov is the central online resource for the Arkansas court system, with forms, court contacts, and access to CourtConnect.
Arkansas State Police Criminal History Checks
The Arkansas State Police runs a separate online system for criminal history searches at cbc.ark.org. This is distinct from CourtConnect. It pulls from the Arkansas Criminal History (ARCH) system maintained by the Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC). ACIC is the central statewide repository for criminal history records. You can reach the ACIC Criminal Justice Information Services office through the ACIC portal.
Name-based criminal history checks cost $22.00 per request. Volunteer checks run $11.00. Fingerprint-based checks for the national FBI database start at $13.00. Mail-in checks cost $25.00 each. Signed written consent from the subject is required. You must also have an INA account for online access. The State Police ID Bureau is at 1 State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, AR 72209. Phone: (501) 618-8500.
The ACIC also maintains the sex offender registry, which is searchable by name, location, or offender ID at no cost to the public. Warrant and protection order verification is also available through ACIC. These services serve a different purpose than CourtConnect but draw from the same underlying criminal justice information network.
The screenshot below shows the Arkansas State Police background check portal.
The State Police background check portal at cbc.ark.org provides access to the Arkansas Criminal History system for name-based and fingerprint-based criminal history checks.
Note: Criminal history checks through the State Police require signed consent and an INA account. They are separate from free public court record searches available through CourtConnect.
Arkansas FOIA and Public Access Rights
Arkansas court records are public under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 through § 25-19-119. The law was passed in 1967. It covers all records made or received by public agencies that are supported by public funds. You do not have to prove a reason to request records. Any person may ask. You do not need to be an Arkansas resident to request court records in most situations, though some agencies ask for proof of state citizenship for certain requests.
Under FOIA, agencies must respond within three business days. Fees are limited to the actual cost of making copies. The agency cannot charge for staff time to locate records unless the request is unusually large. Denials can be appealed to a circuit court. The Arkansas Attorney General's Office answers FOIA questions at (800) 482-8982. The AG's office publishes guidance and model request forms on its website.
Some records are not public. Juvenile case files are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309. Adoption records, grand jury minutes, active criminal investigation files, and expunged or sealed records are all exempt from disclosure. Social security numbers and financial account numbers are redacted from any documents that are produced.
The screenshot below shows the Arkansas Attorney General's site, which provides FOIA guidance and resources for public records requests.
The Arkansas Attorney General handles FOIA questions and publishes guidance on public records access at arkansasag.gov, including sample request letters and a list of exempt records.
Types of Arkansas Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records in Arkansas come from two main court levels. Circuit Courts handle felony cases. These are the most serious crimes, and felony case files are kept by the Circuit Clerk in each county. District Courts handle misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic offenses, and small claims. Both levels participate in CourtConnect to varying degrees. Older records or records from courts with limited participation require direct contact with the court.
A typical criminal case file includes the charging documents, arrest warrant or summons, bond orders, pre-trial motions, hearing dates and outcomes, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and any subsequent appeals. CourtConnect shows the case index. That means you can see the case type, filing date, party names, attorney names, current status, and docket entries. It does not usually include full text of the actual filed documents unless the county has full image access turned on.
Each year, Arkansas courts handle roughly 47,000 criminal cases at the circuit court level. Misdemeanor cases in the district courts number around 365,000 per year statewide. DWI cases total about 16,000 per year. Traffic cases top 430,000 annually. Juvenile court records are sealed under state law and not available to the public regardless of the search method used.
How to Get Arkansas Criminal Court Records
The fastest way to search is online through CourtConnect. It gives you case index information at no cost. For the full case file or certified copies of specific documents, you contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed.
Visiting in person is the most reliable option. Go to the Circuit Clerk's office during business hours, which are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM in most counties. Bring the case number or the name of one of the parties. The clerk can pull the record and make copies on the spot. Standard copies cost about $0.25 per page at most county offices. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. Most courthouses take cash, check, or money order. Many do not accept credit or debit cards, so call ahead.
Mail requests are also accepted by most county clerks. Send a written request with the case number, party names, approximate filing date, and payment for copy fees. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the copies returned by mail. Processing time is usually one to two weeks. Some counties respond faster. Call first if speed matters.
The Arkansas Association of Counties keeps a directory of all 75 county offices, including circuit clerks, sheriffs, and other county officials. This is a good starting point when you need contact information for a county you are not familiar with.
The screenshot below shows the AR Association of Counties website, a useful directory for county contact information.
The Arkansas Association of Counties at arcounties.org maintains a directory of all 75 county offices with phone numbers, addresses, and links to individual county websites.
AR County Records Portal
The AR County Records Portal at arcountyrecords.com provides access to land records and some court documents for several Arkansas counties. Counties like Dallas County use it to provide land records going back to September 1997, with real-time updates for new recordings. Some counties rely on this system alongside CourtConnect to offer broader online access. Searches are available by party name, instrument type, date range, and legal description.
The screenshot below shows the AR County Records Portal.
The AR County Records Portal at arcountyrecords.com supplements the state CourtConnect system with land record access across multiple Arkansas counties.
Arkansas Court of Appeals Records
The Arkansas Court of Appeals reviews circuit court decisions in criminal and civil cases. It does not hear original cases. If a conviction from a circuit court is appealed, the Court of Appeals may issue a written opinion that becomes part of the public record. These opinions are searchable online through the AOC website. The Court of Appeals sits at 625 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. Clerk's office phone: (501) 682-9400.
The screenshot below shows the Arkansas Court of Appeals page on the AOC website.
The Arkansas Court of Appeals publishes opinions from criminal appeals at arcourts.gov, making appellate records accessible online.
Federal Criminal Court Records in Arkansas
Federal criminal cases in Arkansas go through U.S. District Courts. Arkansas has two federal districts. The Eastern District covers central and eastern Arkansas, including Little Rock. Its courthouse is at 500 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201. Phone: (501) 604-2000. The Western District covers Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and western parts of the state. The main office is at 35 East Mountain Street, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Phone: (479) 251-6000. Fort Smith also has a federal division at 30 South 6th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901.
Federal case records are available through PACER, which stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. Registration is required at pacer.uscourts.gov. The fee is $0.10 per page. Your first $30 per quarter is waived. PACER covers only federal criminal records, not state court cases. State-level felony and misdemeanor records come from CourtConnect or the county circuit clerks.
The screenshot below shows the federal PACER system for accessing U.S. District Court records.
PACER at pacer.uscourts.gov provides access to federal criminal case records from both U.S. District Courts serving Arkansas.
Arkansas Court Structure Explained
Arkansas has 28 judicial circuits. Each circuit has at least one circuit court with jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil matters over $25,000, family law, and probate. The state has 126 circuit judges across all circuits. Criminal cases at the felony level are filed in circuit courts, and the Circuit Clerk in each county keeps those records under the authority of Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102.
Below the circuit courts sit the district courts. These handle misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic offenses, and small claims. District courts process around 365,000 misdemeanor cases and 430,000 traffic cases per year statewide. The state also runs specialty courts: 49 adult drug courts, 16 juvenile drug courts, 14 DWI courts, and 16 veterans treatment courts. Records from these specialty courts follow the same rules as general criminal records.
The Arkansas State Archives at One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, holds historical court records that predate computerization. Phone: (501) 682-6900. For very old records going back to the 1800s, the State Archives is often the only option. CourtConnect only goes back to when each county joined the Contexte system, which varies by county.
The screenshot below shows the My Jury Info portal, one of several public-facing online tools run by the Arkansas courts.
The My Jury Info portal at myjuryinfo.arcourts.gov is part of the Arkansas courts' suite of online public access tools, alongside CourtConnect and the AOC main site.
Find Criminal Court Records by County
Each of Arkansas's 75 counties has its own Circuit Clerk that keeps criminal court case files. Select a county below to find local contact info, search options, and resources for criminal records in that area.
Criminal Court Records by City
Major Arkansas cities file criminal cases at the Circuit Court in their county. Pick a city below to find the right courthouse, local search options, and key contacts.