Find Criminal Court Records in Fayetteville
Fayetteville criminal court records are held by Washington County Circuit Court for felony cases and by the Fayetteville District Court for misdemeanors and traffic matters. Whether you need to look up a charge, verify a case status, or get certified copies of criminal documents, this guide covers how to search records online through CourtConnect, how to make in-person and mail requests at the Washington County courthouse, and how to request police reports from the Fayetteville Police Department under Arkansas FOIA law.
Fayetteville Criminal Court Quick Facts
Washington County Circuit Court: Felony Cases
Felony criminal cases for Fayetteville are filed with Washington County Circuit Court. The Washington County Circuit Clerk's office maintains all civil, domestic, criminal, and juvenile case filings for the county. You can reach the clerk at (479) 444-6200. The Washington County courthouse is at 280 North College Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701.
Records at the circuit level include charging documents, arrest warrants, bond records, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and the full case docket. These are public records and can be viewed during normal business hours. Copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. The clerk's website at washingtoncountyar.gov has office details and links to online case search tools.
The Fayetteville city government website provides links to the police department, FOIA portal, and the Fayetteville District Court, which handles misdemeanor criminal cases in the city.
Fayetteville District Court: Misdemeanor Records
The Fayetteville District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic violations, and city ordinance violations at the local level. The court is at 176 South Church Avenue, Suite 1, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Call 479-587-3590 to reach the court clerk. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, though the court may close for lunch. Payment for fines and fees can be made by mail or in person.
The Fayetteville District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and city ordinance matters. Cases that are appealed from this court move to the Washington County Circuit Court system and become part of the circuit-level criminal records.
When a district court case is appealed or involves a charge that rises to the felony level, the case moves to the circuit clerk's office. At that point, the Washington County Circuit Clerk takes over record-keeping and the case appears in circuit-level filings.
Search Fayetteville Criminal Records Online
Arkansas runs a free public case search portal called CourtConnect at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. No account is needed to search. You can look up cases by party name, case number, or citation number, and filter by court, case type, and date. CourtConnect covers both circuit court records and district court records for Fayetteville and Washington County. Results include case numbers, filing dates, current status, hearing schedules, and docket entries.
What the portal does not show: physical documents, exhibits, transcripts, or sealed records. Juvenile records are not available to the public under any circumstance. For cases that predate Washington County's entry into the Contexte system, you may need to contact the circuit clerk directly. CourtConnect is the right first step to confirm a case exists and get the case number before making a formal copy request.
Note: CourtConnect is down for routine maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and from Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
Fayetteville Police Department Records
Arrest records, incident reports, and accident reports in Fayetteville come from the Fayetteville Police Department, not the court. The department is at 1800 North Stephen Carr Memorial Boulevard, Fayetteville, AR 72704. The main line is (479) 587-3555. The Records Division is at (479) 587-3565 and is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, including during the lunch hour.
Accident reports cost $10.00 when picked up at the department, or $15.00 online through LexisNexis. Case reports are free. Most reports are ready within five working days of the incident. Warrants inquiries go through the Warrants Division at 479-575-8344, open Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. FOIA requests can be filed online through the city's FOIA web portal. Open cases or cases awaiting court dates are not released under FOIA. Under Ark. Code Ann. ยง 25-19-101, the city must respond to a FOIA request within three business days.
University of Arkansas Police Records
The University of Arkansas Police Department (UAPD) has jurisdiction on and around the UA campus in Fayetteville. For FOIA requests related to campus police incidents, email FOIA@uark.edu. The public information officer is Rebecca Morrison. UAPD records are separate from Fayetteville Police Department records and from county court filings. Campus-related criminal cases that rise to the felony level are still prosecuted in Washington County Circuit Court.
How to Get Copies of Court Records
For circuit court records, go to the Washington County Courthouse at 280 North College Avenue during business hours. Bring a photo ID and any known case details. In-person inspection of public records is free. Copies run $0.50 per page; certified copies are $5.00. The clerk accepts cash and check. Mail requests should go to Washington County Circuit Clerk, 280 North College Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701, with the case number, party names, filing date, and a check or money order for estimated fees. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
For statewide background checks that cover Fayetteville and Washington County as part of a broader search, use the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system at $22.00 per name search. This covers all 75 Arkansas counties and is the fastest way to confirm whether any record exists in the state system before doing a more targeted county search.
Fayetteville Court Records Resources
Several tools support criminal record research in Fayetteville. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts website lists contacts for every court in the state. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program may have terminals at the Washington County Courthouse where you can search records for free. The Arkansas Association of Counties maintains current contact information for all county circuit clerks statewide.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities also have criminal court records pages with local courthouse and records access information.