Dallas County Criminal Court Records
Dallas County criminal court records are filed and kept by the Circuit Clerk's Office in Fordyce, Arkansas. If you need to find a felony case, check a misdemeanor filing on appeal, or get copies of court documents, this page covers how to search criminal court records in Dallas County using CourtConnect, the AR County Records portal, in-person visits to the West 3rd Street courthouse, and requests to Circuit Clerk Dori Keeton.
Dallas County Criminal Court Records
Dallas County Circuit Clerk Office
Dori Keeton is the Circuit Clerk for Dallas County. Her office at 206 West 3rd Street, Fordyce, Arkansas keeps all criminal court records, civil filings, and domestic cases for the county. The clerk's duties under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102 require her office to record all court proceedings, issue warrants and summons, and maintain complete case files from the original charge through final judgment.
The office address is 206 West 3rd Street, Fordyce, AR 71742. Phone is (870) 352-2307, fax is (870) 352-7179. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Note the slightly later start time compared to many other Arkansas county clerks. Email is Dallasclerk@arkansasclerks.com for general inquiries. Dallas County has two online tools for searching records, which gives it a slight edge over some smaller counties in the region.
Dallas County is in south-central Arkansas. The circuit court here handles felony cases and misdemeanor appeals. If you're not sure whether a case was filed in Dallas County or a neighboring county like Calhoun, Cleveland, or Bradley, CourtConnect lets you filter results by county so you can check multiple locations with one search.
Search Dallas County Criminal Records Online
Dallas County has two online portals for searching records. The first is CourtConnect at caseinfo.arcourts.gov, the free statewide judiciary search tool. No account needed. Search by party name, case number, or citation number, and filter by court type and date. Dallas County has partial participation, so you get basic case index information but not document images.
The second tool is the AR County Records portal for Dallas County, which covers land and property records going back to September 1997 with real-time updates for new recordings. This portal is most useful for real estate records and land instruments rather than criminal case files, but it does provide a broader look at county filings. Search by name, party type, instrument type, date range, or legal description.
The AR County Records portal for Dallas County allows online searches for recorded documents going back to 1997 and provides real-time updates for new county filings.
For criminal case records, CourtConnect is the primary tool. AR County Records supplements that for property-related filings. The CourtConnect system goes offline for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM weekdays and from 10:00 PM Saturday through noon Sunday.
How to Request Criminal Court Records in Dallas County
Visiting the courthouse in person at 206 West 3rd Street, Fordyce gives you full access to Dallas County criminal court records. Bring a photo ID. Staff can locate the file and let you inspect the docket sheet at no charge. Copies of pages cost money. Standard copy fees apply per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. Recording fees for new documents are $15.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each page after that, as set by Arkansas law for document recording.
Mail requests are also accepted. Send your written request to 206 West 3rd Street, Fordyce, AR 71742. Include the case number, both party names, approximate filing date, and type of record you need. Attach a check or money order for estimated copy fees and a return envelope. Allow 7 to 14 business days for mail processing. For questions, email Dallasclerk@arkansasclerks.com, though records cannot be provided by email.
The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101, gives the public the right to inspect public records during regular business hours. Most criminal court records in Dallas County are public. Sealed records, expunged records, and juvenile matters are the main exceptions.
Arrest Records and the Dallas County Sheriff
Arrest records for Dallas County come from the Sheriff's Office at 202 West 3rd Street, Fordyce, AR 71742. Phone is (870) 352-2196. The Sheriff maintains arrest records, warrant information, inmate records, and incident reports. These are separate from the criminal court records at the Circuit Clerk's office just one door down on West 3rd Street.
To get an incident report or arrest record, file a written FOIA request with the Sheriff's Office. Arkansas law requires a response within three business days. Include the date, time, and location of the incident, plus any names involved if you have them. Warrant checks require an in-person visit with valid ID. Keep in mind that an arrest in Dallas County does not always lead to a circuit court case being filed.
For statewide results, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system processes name-based searches for $22.00 per search and covers all 75 Arkansas counties.
Types of Criminal Records in Dallas County
The Dallas County Circuit Clerk keeps felony criminal cases, misdemeanor appeals from district court, domestic cases, and civil filings. Felony files contain the charging document, any arrest warrant, bond records, plea agreements, judgment and sentencing orders, and a docket sheet tracking every step of the case. Common felony charges in the circuit court docket include drug offenses, violent crimes, theft, and property crimes.
Some records are restricted. Juvenile delinquency records are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309 and are not available to the public. Records sealed or expunged by court order also won't appear in searches. Public copies have Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and victim address information in domestic violence cases redacted. Historical records from many decades back may be archived at the Arkansas State Archives.
Note: Certified copies carry the clerk's official seal and signature and are needed for use in most legal proceedings outside the county.
Dallas County Court Records Resources
Beyond the clerk's office and the two online portals, several tools help with Dallas County criminal record research. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts lists contact information for every Arkansas court and provides self-help guides and court forms. The Arkansas Association of Counties covers all 75 circuit clerks and county officials. For federal cases, the Eastern District of Arkansas handles cases from Dallas County and uses the PACER system for online access. Filing fees for new circuit court cases are governed by Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403, which sets the new case fee at $165.00.
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.