Search Garland County Criminal Court Records
Garland County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk's Office at 501 Ouachita Avenue in Hot Springs. The county is one of only nine in Arkansas with full CourtConnect participation, meaning more case data is available online here than in most other counties. Whether you need to search for a felony case, find misdemeanor filings, check warrant status, or get certified copies of court documents, this guide covers every option for finding Garland County criminal court records, from the online portal to the courthouse and the Sheriff's Office.
Garland County Criminal Court Records
Garland County Circuit Clerk's Office
The Circuit Clerk for Garland County is Tina Reynolds. Her office is at 501 Ouachita Avenue, Room 107, Hot Springs, AR 71901. The phone number is (501) 622-3630, and the fax is (501) 609-9043. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also contact the clerk by email at garlandclerk@arkansasclerks.com for general questions.
The clerk's office maintains all circuit court filings under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102, which requires the clerk to record all court proceedings, issue summons and warrants, and keep full files on every pending and closed case. Record types include felony criminal cases, misdemeanor cases appealed from district court, domestic relations cases, civil matters, probate, and land records as ex-officio recorder.
The Garland County Circuit Clerk's Office manages all criminal court records for Hot Springs and surrounding communities. The office website provides contact details, hours, and filing information for the court at 501 Ouachita Avenue.
The Garland County official website at garlandcounty.org links to court services, the Circuit Clerk's page, and other county offices useful when researching Garland County criminal court records.
Online Record Search - Full CourtConnect Access
Garland County is one of only nine Arkansas counties with full participation in CourtConnect, the state's free public case search system. You can access it at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. No account or login is needed. Search by person name, business name, or case number. Filter by court location, case type, and date range. Because of full participation, Garland County results include comprehensive case information, full docket entries, and case activities for most filed cases.
Search results for Garland County criminal cases show party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status and disposition, scheduled hearing dates, and detailed docket entries. For counties with full participation like Garland, more case detail shows up online than in partial-participation counties. Sealed cases, juvenile records, and cases filed before the county joined the Contexte system do not appear. The system is down for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and from Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
The Sheriff's Office also provides an online public records portal with inmate roster information, current jail population, booking details, and warrant information. This is a separate system from CourtConnect and covers law enforcement records rather than court filings.
How to Request Garland County Court Records
In-person visits to the courthouse at 501 Ouachita Avenue are the most direct way to access Garland County criminal court records. Bring a photo ID and any known case details. Public terminals at the courthouse let you search independently before asking staff. Staff can pull files and tell you the copy costs before you pay. There is no charge to inspect public records in person.
Mail requests are accepted. Write to Tina Reynolds, Garland County Circuit Clerk, 501 Ouachita Avenue, Room 107, Hot Springs, AR 71901. Include the case number if you have it, both party names, approximate filing date, and the type of case. Add a check or money order for estimated fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101, requires public records to be available during regular business hours. Allow 7 to 14 business days for mail requests.
Standard copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. Garland County's per-page fee is higher than many other Arkansas counties. Confirm exact costs with the clerk's office before mailing payment.
Arrest Records and the Garland County Sheriff
Arrest records come from the Garland County Sheriff's Office, not the Circuit Clerk. The Sheriff's main office is at 525 Ouachita Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 71901. Phone is (501) 622-3660. The Detention Center is located at 3564 Albert Pike Road, Hot Springs, AR 71913, which is a separate facility from the main office. The Sheriff handles arrest reports, warrant information, inmate records, and incident reports.
To get incident or arrest reports, file a written FOIA request with the Sheriff's Office. Under Arkansas law, the office must respond within three business days. Provide the date, time, and location of the incident plus the names of any parties involved. Warrant checks can also be done through the Sheriff's online portal, which lists active warrants and wanted persons for Garland County.
For a statewide background check, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system processes name-based searches for $22.00. Arkansas State Police background checks cover all 75 counties, which is useful when you need a broader search beyond Garland County alone. The fee for a Garland-specific check through the state police system is listed at $25.00 for this county.
Note: Arrest records and court records are separate. An arrest record from the Sheriff does not always mean a circuit court case was filed.
District Court and Case Filings in Hot Springs
The Garland County District Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, and small claims in Hot Springs. It is located at 607 Ouachita Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 71901. Phone is (501) 321-6765, and the fax is (501) 321-6764. Misdemeanor cases that are appealed from district court move to the Circuit Clerk's office, where they become part of the criminal court record. Filing fees for new circuit court cases are set under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403 at $165.00. District court appeals carry a $150.00 fee at the circuit level.
The district court handles the first level of criminal cases in the county. Felony charges, however, go directly to the circuit court from the start. When a case is bound over to circuit court after a preliminary hearing, the Circuit Clerk takes over all record-keeping from that point forward.
Types of Records and What Is Not Public
The Garland County Circuit Clerk keeps several categories of criminal court records. Felony files are the most common at the circuit level and cover drug charges, violent offenses, property crimes, white-collar cases, and more. Misdemeanor cases appealed from district court also sit in the circuit files. Each case file typically holds the charging document, arrest warrant if one was issued, bond records, plea agreements, judgment and sentencing orders, and the full docket sheet for the case.
Some records stay private. Juvenile delinquency records are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309. Records that a court has ordered sealed or expunged are also off-limits to the public. Social Security numbers, financial account details, and victim addresses in domestic violence cases are redacted from copies sent to the public. Certified copies include the clerk's official seal and a statement that the document is a true and correct copy of the original.
Historical court records for Garland County going back many decades are kept in the clerk's archives. Very old records may be at the Arkansas State Archives. If you need a case from many years ago, contacting the state archives may be a better starting point than CourtConnect.
Garland County Records Resources
Several tools support Garland County criminal record searches beyond the clerk's office. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts website lists contact information for every court in the state and links to court forms and self-help guides. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program operates public access terminals at select locations. The Arkansas Association of Counties directory lists all circuit clerks statewide. For federal criminal cases, the PACER system covers U.S. District Court filings in Arkansas.
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.