Fort Smith Criminal Court Records
Fort Smith criminal court records are held by Sebastian County Circuit Court for felony cases and by the Fort Smith District Court for misdemeanors, traffic violations, and small claims. Fort Smith also has a federal courthouse in the heart of downtown that handles federal criminal cases for the Western District of Arkansas. This guide covers how to search criminal records online through CourtConnect, how to request copies from the Sebastian County Circuit Clerk, how to use the Fort Smith District Court's online services, and how to file a FOIA request with the Fort Smith Police Department.
Fort Smith Criminal Court Quick Facts
Sebastian County Circuit Court: Felony Records
Felony criminal cases for Fort Smith go through Sebastian County Circuit Court. The main clerk office for Fort Smith is at 35 South 6th Street, Room 200, Fort Smith, AR 72901. The phone number is (479) 782-5065. There is also a second clerk location in Greenwood at 301 East Center Street, reachable at (479) 996-2817. Both locations have full circuit clerk services for civil, criminal, domestic, and probate records.
Circuit court records for Fort Smith include all felony criminal filings, which cover drug charges, violent offenses, property crimes, weapons cases, and white-collar crimes. Each case file holds the charging document, any arrest warrant, bond records, plea agreement, judgment and sentencing orders, and a complete docket showing every step of the case. You can view records for free at the courthouse. Copies cost $0.50 per page, and certified copies run $5.00 per document.
Sebastian County also maintains divorce records through the circuit clerk at (479) 782-1046. Property assessment is handled by the Sebastian County Assessor at (479) 783-8948. These are civil records separate from criminal court filings but managed through the same county system.
Fort Smith District Court: Misdemeanors and Online Services
The Sebastian County District Court in Fort Smith handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, city ordinance violations, and small claims. The court is at 901 South Greenwood Avenue, Fort Smith, AR 72901. Phone is 479-784-2020. The court offers online services through the Fort Smith District Court online portal.
The online portal lets you look up cases, pay fines, and check on case status for Fort Smith district court matters. This is separate from the CourtConnect statewide portal, so it can sometimes show more current information for local cases. Municipal fines can also be paid through the district court at 479-784-2420. When a district court case is appealed to circuit court, it moves to the Sebastian County Circuit Clerk's office.
Note: Misdemeanor records from the district court and felony records from the circuit court are two separate files. You may need to check both if you are unsure which level a charge was filed at.
Search Fort Smith Criminal Records Online
The statewide CourtConnect portal at caseinfo.arcourts.gov provides free access to Sebastian County criminal records. Search by party name, case number, or citation. The portal covers both the circuit court and district court for Fort Smith and Greenwood. Results include filing dates, case status, scheduled hearings, and docket entries. No login is required.
What CourtConnect will not show: sealed records, juvenile files, expunged cases, or actual court documents. For older cases that predate the county's entry into the Contexte system, you will need to contact the clerk directly. The Fort Smith District Court's own online portal is also a useful second source for misdemeanor-level cases specifically. Between CourtConnect and the district court portal, most active and recent Fort Smith cases are searchable without a trip to the courthouse.
Fort Smith Police Department Records and FOIA
The Fort Smith Police Department (FSPD) keeps arrest records, incident reports, and public records related to policing in the city. The department is at 100 South 10th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. Non-emergency inquiries go to 479-709-5000. The Public Information Officer is Aric Mitchell, reachable at aric.mitchell@fortsmithpd.org or 479-709-5004.
FOIA requests for Fort Smith public records go through the city's FOIA portal at fortsmithar.gov/foia or by email to FOIA@fortsmithar.gov. The Deputy City Administrator handles all FOIA requests. Under Ark. Code Ann. ยง 25-19-101, the city must respond to a records request within three business days. Accident reports, crime statistics, department transparency reports, and most incident records are available. Open investigations or cases awaiting prosecution are not released.
The Fort Smith public records page explains the full scope of records available from city departments, including police records, city meeting minutes, and financial documents. All requesters must be Arkansas citizens to invoke FOIA rights.
Federal Court Records: Western District of Arkansas
Fort Smith is home to one of the most historically significant federal courthouses in the country. The Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal Building at 30 South 6th Street, Room 1038, Fort Smith, AR 72901-2437 serves as the federal courthouse for the Western District of Arkansas. Phone is 1-833-853-0345. The court's website is arwd.uscourts.gov.
Federal criminal cases handled here include drug trafficking, firearms, fraud, immigration offenses, and federal civil rights cases. Records are available through PACER at pacer.uscourts.gov. Electronic document copies cost $0.10 per page through PACER. In-person requests at the clerk's office may cost more for paper copies or certifications. State criminal records and federal criminal records are completely separate systems. A case may exist in one but not the other.
Getting Copies and Other Record Types
In-person visits to the Sebastian County Circuit Clerk at 35 South 6th Street give you the most direct path to Fort Smith criminal court records. Bring a photo ID and any known case details. Public access terminals are available at the courthouse. Copies run $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. Mail requests should go to the circuit clerk at that address with the case number, party names, filing date, and a check or money order for fees.
For a statewide background check that covers Fort Smith and all of Sebastian County, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system charges $22.00 per search. Results cover all 75 Arkansas counties. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts site has statewide court contacts and self-help forms if you need help understanding the records request process.
Nearby Cities
Other Arkansas cities with criminal court records pages are listed below.