Craighead County Criminal Court Records
Craighead County criminal court records are kept by the Circuit Clerk's Office, which runs two full-service locations in Jonesboro and Lake City to cover the county's wide geographic area. This guide walks you through every option for searching criminal court records in Craighead County, including the state's online CourtConnect portal, in-person visits to either courthouse, mail requests, and the county's Sheriff's Office for arrest records and warrant information.
Craighead County Criminal Court Records
Find Craighead County Criminal Court Records
Circuit Clerk Lesa S. Gossett manages all criminal court filings for Craighead County under the authority of Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102. Her office records felony charges, misdemeanor appeals from district court, domestic cases, and civil filings. The office keeps the official docket for every case that passes through circuit court in the county.
The Jonesboro office is the main location. It sits at 620 S Main Street, Jonesboro, AR 72401. Phone is (870) 933-4520, fax (870) 933-4562. The Lake City office is at 100 Court Street, Lake City, AR 72437, phone (870) 930-1314. Both are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can walk into either location to search records, use a public access terminal, or request copies.
Email inquiries go to craigheadclerk@arkansasclerks.com. Staff can answer general questions by email but cannot send confidential documents through that channel.
The Craighead County Circuit Clerk website has office details, contact information, and basic guidance for both courthouse locations. The county's main portal does not host its own case search tool; that function belongs to the state's CourtConnect system.
The Craighead County Circuit Clerk's Office serves both the Jonesboro and Lake City courthouses and manages all criminal case filings, docket sheets, and official court documents for the county.
Search Criminal Records Online
Arkansas runs a free public case search tool called CourtConnect. Access it at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. No account or login is needed. You can search by party name, case number, or citation number, and filter results by court, case type, and date range. Craighead County has partial participation in CourtConnect, which means you get basic index-level information but not full document images.
When you search for a Craighead County criminal case, CourtConnect shows party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status and disposition, hearing dates, and docket entries. You will not find the actual court documents, affidavits, or transcripts through the online portal. Juvenile records and sealed cases do not appear at all. Cases filed before Craighead County joined the Contexte case management system are also absent from the online index.
If the case you need is not in CourtConnect, the next step is to call or visit the clerk's office directly. Start with a CourtConnect search to confirm a case exists and get the case number before making a formal request.
Note: CourtConnect goes offline for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and Saturday night through Sunday noon.
How to Request Court Records
In-person visits give you the broadest access to Craighead County criminal court records. Bring a photo ID, any known case details, and payment for copies. Public access terminals at both the Jonesboro and Lake City courthouses let you search on your own before asking staff for help. Staff can locate specific records and confirm copy costs before you pay anything.
Mail requests are accepted at 620 S Main Street, Jonesboro, AR 72401. Your written request should include the case number, both party names, approximate filing date, and the case type. Attach a check or money order for estimated fees along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail processing generally takes 7 to 14 business days. For general questions, email craigheadclerk@arkansasclerks.com.
Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. There is no charge to inspect public records in person. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, public records must be made available during regular business hours without unreasonable delay. Fee waivers are possible for parties who qualify as indigent under court rules.
District Courts in Craighead County
District courts handle misdemeanors, traffic matters, and small claims. When a district case is appealed or involves a charge that moves to circuit court, the Circuit Clerk takes over the file. Craighead County has three district courts: Jonesboro District Court at (870) 933-4580, Lake City District Court at (870) 930-1314, and Monette District Court at (870) 486-5633.
Filing fees for new circuit court cases are set at $165.00 under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403. District court appeals carry a $150.00 fee when a case moves up to circuit. Reopening a case costs $50.00. These fees apply when a matter enters the circuit clerk's docket.
Craighead County Arrest Records and the Sheriff
Arrest records for Craighead County come from the Sheriff's Office, not the Circuit Clerk. The Sheriff's Office is at 901 Willett Rd, Jonesboro, AR 72401. Phone is (870) 933-4521. The county's Sheriff's Office website has information on services, inmate records, and contact details.
The Craighead County Sheriff's Office handles arrest records, warrant information, inmate rosters, and incident reports. For court-level case records, you still need to contact the Circuit Clerk or search CourtConnect.
To request incident reports from the Sheriff, submit a written FOIA request. Under Arkansas law, the office must respond within three business days. Include the date, time, and location of the incident plus any party names you know. For a statewide background check, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system charges $22.00 per search and covers all 75 counties.
Types of Criminal Records in Craighead County
The Circuit Clerk keeps several categories of records. Felony cases are the most common at the circuit level, covering drug offenses, violent crimes, property crimes, and other serious charges. Misdemeanor cases appealed from any of the three district courts also enter the circuit clerk's files. Each case file holds the charging document, arrest warrant if one was issued, bond records, plea agreements, judgment and sentencing orders, and the full docket sheet.
Some records are restricted. Juvenile delinquency records are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309 and are not available to the public. Records that a court has ordered sealed or expunged do not appear in public searches. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and victim addresses in domestic violence cases are redacted from copies provided to the public. Certified copies carry the clerk's official seal, signature, and a statement certifying authenticity.
Historical Craighead County criminal court records going back many decades exist in the clerk's archives. Very old files may be stored off-site or held by the Arkansas State Archives. If you need a case from many decades ago, contacting the archives is often faster than starting with CourtConnect.
Additional Resources for Record Searches
Several tools help with Craighead County criminal record searches beyond the clerk's own office. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts lists every court in the state, with contact details and self-help guides. The Arkansas Association of Counties directory has contact information for circuit clerks and other county officials statewide. For federal criminal cases involving Craighead County residents, the federal PACER system provides access to U.S. District Court records.
Nearby Counties
If the case you need was filed in a neighboring county, these Circuit Clerk offices may have the records you are looking for.