El Dorado Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records for El Dorado are held by the Union County Circuit Clerk's Office, which files and stores all felony cases, misdemeanor appeals, and circuit-level criminal matters for the city and surrounding area. Whether you need to look up a case by name, get certified copies of court documents, or find out where to request police incident reports, this guide covers the key steps for accessing El Dorado criminal court records through official channels in Union County.
El Dorado Criminal Court Records
Union County Circuit Clerk
El Dorado is the county seat of Union County. The Union County Circuit Clerk is Sharon H. Nivens. Her office maintains all circuit court filings and is the official keeper of criminal court records for the county. You can reach the clerk by email at unionclerk@arkansasclerks.com or by phone at (870) 864-1920.
The office is at 101 N Washington Street, El Dorado, AR 71730. The mailing address is P.O. Box 704, El Dorado, AR 71731. Fax is (870) 864-1925. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You may visit in person to inspect public records at no cost. Copies cost $0.25 per page and certified copies are $5.00 per document. Staff can help locate specific cases, and public access terminals are available for self-directed searches.
The Union County official website provides contact information for county departments and offices. Start there if you need to verify current office hours or find additional county services before making a trip.
The Union County Circuit Clerk's Office at 101 N Washington Street in El Dorado is the primary source for circuit court criminal records in the county.
Search El Dorado Criminal Cases Online
The Arkansas Judiciary's free public portal, CourtConnect, is the main online tool for searching criminal court records. Access it at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. No account is required. You can search by party name, case number, or citation number. Union County has partial participation in CourtConnect, which means you get basic case index information, docket entries, and disposition data, but full document images may not be available for all cases.
From a CourtConnect search for Union County cases you can typically find: party names, case numbers, filing dates, case type, docket entries, hearing dates, and case status. What you will not get are full court document images for most older cases, sealed records, or juvenile matters. Cases filed before Union County joined the Contexte case management system also will not appear in online results.
For cases not in CourtConnect, call the clerk directly at (870) 864-1920. The clerk's staff can look up cases by name or case number and tell you what documents are available and what they cost to copy. CourtConnect is down for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and from Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
El Dorado District Court
El Dorado District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and city ordinance matters. The court is located at 204 N West Avenue, El Dorado, AR 71730. The district court phone is (870) 864-1930. This is the first level of criminal case processing in El Dorado. When a case is appealed from district court to circuit court, or when a felony charge is initially filed, the Circuit Clerk takes over record-keeping from that point forward.
If you need records from a misdemeanor case that was resolved at the district court level without an appeal, contact the district court rather than the Circuit Clerk. District court records are not always in CourtConnect, so a direct call to the court may be necessary for those older or lower-level matters.
Requesting El Dorado Criminal Records
In-person requests are the most straightforward way to get copies of court documents. Go to the Union County Circuit Clerk's office at 101 N Washington Street. Bring a photo ID. If you already have a case number, the process is faster. You can use the public access terminal at the courthouse to search before asking staff. Pay for copies when you pick them up. The clerk accepts cash and checks.
For mail requests, send a written request to the Union County Circuit Clerk, P.O. Box 704, El Dorado, AR 71731. Include the case number or the full names of both parties, the approximate filing date, and exactly what documents you want. Enclose a check for estimated copy fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return. Most mail requests take 7 to 14 business days to process.
Arkansas FOIA law under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 requires government agencies to make public records available during business hours and to respond within three business days. El Dorado criminal court records that are not sealed or restricted are public documents under this law.
Note: Bring the case number if you have it. Searches without one take longer and may require a search fee if staff time is extensive.
El Dorado Police Department Records
The El Dorado Police Department is located at 402 N West Avenue, El Dorado, AR 71730. Main phone is (870) 881-4800. The records division is at (870) 881-8930. Police records include incident reports, arrest reports, and accident reports. To get these records, file a written FOIA request with the department. Most reports cost $10.00. Standard document copies run $0.25 per page.
Accident reports may also be available through online report services. If you need a copy of an incident report, you can visit in person or submit a written request by mail. The department must respond to FOIA requests within three business days under state law. Open investigation records are exempt from disclosure while a case is active.
The Union County Sheriff's Office at 250 American Road, El Dorado, AR 71730, handles arrests and warrant checks for the broader county area. Phone is (870) 864-2222. The Sheriff can confirm whether an active warrant exists or provide arrest record information for county incidents. For a full statewide background check, visit the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system, which runs name-based checks for $22.00.
What El Dorado Court Records Contain
Circuit-level criminal case files in Union County can include a wide range of documents depending on how far a case progressed. Most files have the criminal information or indictment, any arrest warrant, bond and pretrial release records, motions filed by either side, hearing transcripts if ordered, plea agreements, trial records when applicable, and the final judgment and sentencing order. Each file also has a docket sheet that lists every step of the case chronologically.
Records that are not public include juvenile delinquency cases sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309, expunged records, and records under a specific court order of sealing. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and victim location information in domestic violence cases are redacted before copies are given to the public.
Historical records from Union County going back many decades may be held in off-site archives or at the Arkansas State Archives. For research into very old cases, contact the archives directly.
Other El Dorado Records Resources
Beyond the Circuit Clerk, a few other resources are useful for El Dorado criminal record searches. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts lists all courts and provides self-help legal guides. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk network places free public access terminals at courthouses where you can search records, review legal forms, and learn about record sealing options at no cost. The ACIC sex offender registry is free and searchable by name or location. For statewide criminal history searches, the Arkansas State Police Background Check system is the official source.
Nearby Cities
Criminal court records for nearby cities are maintained through their county circuit clerk offices.
County Court Records
All El Dorado criminal cases at the circuit level are on file with the Union County Circuit Clerk. The county page has full details on the court system, fees, and online access options.