Search Desha County Criminal Court Records
Desha County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk's Office, which operates two locations serving both ends of the county. Whether you need to look up a felony case, find a misdemeanor appeal, or get certified copies of court documents, this guide covers how to search criminal court records in Desha County through CourtConnect, the county kiosk portal, in-person visits to either courthouse, and requests to Circuit Clerk Kristen N. Christmas.
Desha County Criminal Court Records
Desha County Circuit Clerk Office
Kristen N. Christmas is the Circuit Clerk for Desha County. Her office keeps all circuit court records for the county, including criminal filings, civil cases, and domestic matters. Like Carroll County to the north and Arkansas County nearby, Desha County operates two courthouse locations. Cases may be filed at either office depending on where in the county the matter arose.
The Arkansas City office is at 604 President Street, Arkansas City, AR 71630. Mailing address is P.O. Box 309, Arkansas City, AR 71630. Phone there is (870) 222-0930. The McGehee office is at 407 Oak Street, McGehee, AR 71654, reached at (870) 222-4753. Both offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Note the closing time of 4:00 PM, which is slightly earlier than most other Arkansas county clerks. The Desha County Clerk website has contact information and office details for both locations.
The Desha County Circuit Clerk's Office manages criminal court records for both the Arkansas City and McGehee courthouse locations. The website provides contact information and office details for both branches.
The clerk's duties under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102 include recording all proceedings, issuing warrants and summons, and maintaining complete case files. When you search online through CourtConnect, records from both courthouse locations appear together in one search.
Search Desha County Criminal Records Online
Desha County is one of the counties covered by the Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program. You can access case information through the Desha County Court Kiosk as well as the main CourtConnect portal at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. No account is needed for either. CourtConnect covers Desha County case types including felony criminal, divorce, custody, child support, and eviction proceedings.
Search results for Desha County criminal cases show party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status, disposition details, scheduled hearings, and basic docket entries. Document images are not available through CourtConnect for Desha County. Sealed records and juvenile cases don't appear at all. Cases from before the county joined the Contexte system also won't show up in online searches.
The courthouse kiosk program is particularly useful because it provides free public access terminals at the courthouse for record searches, legal forms, and information on record-sealing options. The CourtConnect portal goes offline for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and from 10:00 PM Saturday through noon Sunday.
Note: When searching online for Desha County records, try both the kiosk portal and CourtConnect to make sure you get complete results.
How to Request Desha County Court Records
Visiting either courthouse office in person gives you the most direct access to Desha County criminal court records. Go to the Arkansas City office at 604 President Street or the McGehee office at 407 Oak Street during regular hours. Bring a photo ID and any case details you have. Public inspection is free. Copies are $0.25 per page and certified copies are $5.00 per document. Staff at either location can pull the case file and let you check the docket before you decide what to copy.
Mail requests go to P.O. Box 309, Arkansas City, AR 71630. Include the case number if you have it, both party names, approximate filing date, and type of case. Attach a check or money order for estimated copy fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow 7 to 14 business days. Email is deshaclerk@arkansasclerks.com for general questions, though records cannot be sent by email.
Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, public records must be made available during regular business hours. Most criminal court records in Desha County are public. Sealed court orders, expunged records, and juvenile matters are the standard exceptions.
Desha County District Court
District courts handle misdemeanors, traffic matters, and small claims. When a district case is appealed or involves more serious charges, it moves to circuit court where the Circuit Clerk takes over. Desha County has two district courts. The Dumas district court can be reached at (870) 382-2444 and the other location at (870) 777-2525. Cases that move up from these courts to circuit court become part of the criminal court records maintained by Kristen N. Christmas's office.
Filing fees when a case enters the circuit court level are governed by Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403, which sets the new case filing fee at $165.00 and district court appeal fee at $150.00.
Arrest Records and the Desha County Sheriff
Arrest records for Desha County come from the Sheriff's Office, not the Circuit Clerk. The Sheriff's Office is at 601 Main Street, Arkansas City, AR 71630. Phone is (870) 877-2327. The Sheriff handles warrant information, arrest records, inmate records, and incident reports. These are separate from court filings and must be requested directly from the Sheriff.
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. Your request should include the incident date and location, and the names of parties involved if you have them. Warrant verification requires an in-person visit with valid ID. An arrest in Desha County does not always mean a circuit court case was filed.
For a statewide search, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check portal processes name-based searches for $22.00 each and covers all 75 Arkansas counties.
Types of Criminal Records in Desha County
The Circuit Clerk in Desha County keeps a wide range of records. Felony criminal cases form the core of the circuit court docket. The office also holds divorce and custody cases, child support matters, and eviction proceedings. Desha County has marriage records going back to 1865 and probate records as well. Each criminal case file normally contains the charging document, any arrest warrant, bond records, plea agreements, judgment and sentencing orders, and a complete docket sheet.
Some records are restricted. Juvenile delinquency records are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309. Records sealed or expunged by court order don't appear in public searches. Public copies have Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and victim addresses in domestic violence cases removed. Historical records from very old cases may be held by the Arkansas State Archives.
Desha County Court Records Resources
Several tools help with Desha County criminal record research beyond the clerk's office. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts has contact information for every Arkansas court and provides forms and self-help guides. The Desha County Courthouse Kiosk provides free public access for record searches and legal forms. The Arkansas Association of Counties lists contact details for circuit clerks statewide. For federal cases, the Eastern District of Arkansas handles Desha County matters through the PACER system.
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.