Criminal Court Records in Johnson County
Johnson County criminal court records are kept by the Circuit Clerk's Office in Clarksville, Arkansas. If you need to search for a felony case, look up a misdemeanor appeal, or get certified copies of court documents, this guide covers every way to find criminal court records in Johnson County, from the free state CourtConnect portal to in-person visits at the Clarksville courthouse.
Johnson County Criminal Court Records
Find Johnson County Criminal Court Records
The Circuit Clerk for Johnson County is Rita Howard. Her office maintains all circuit court filings under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102, which sets the clerk's duty to record all court proceedings, issue summons and warrants, and maintain files for all pending and past cases. This covers felony charges, misdemeanor appeals from district court, civil filings, and domestic cases.
The courthouse is at 215 W Main Street, Clarksville, AR 72830. Mail goes to P.O. Box 595, Clarksville, AR 72830. Phone is (479) 754-2175 and fax is (479) 754-3691. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Email inquiries can be sent to johnsonclerk@arkansasclerks.com. Staff can answer general questions by email but cannot send confidential court documents that way.
Public access terminals at the courthouse allow self-directed searches before requesting staff help. Free inspection of public records in person is allowed during regular business hours under Arkansas law.
CourtConnect is the state's free online case search tool and the primary way to look up Johnson County criminal cases without visiting the courthouse. You can search by party name or case number with no account or fee required.
Online Criminal Record Search
CourtConnect, found at caseinfo.arcourts.gov, is a free tool with no account needed. Search by party name, case number, or citation number, with filters for court type and date range. For Johnson County, the system shows party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status and disposition, hearing dates, and docket entries. Johnson County has partial participation, so you get index information but not full document images.
What CourtConnect does not provide includes the actual court documents, transcripts, or exhibits. Sealed cases and juvenile records never appear in the system. Cases that predate Johnson County's entry into Contexte are also missing online. The system goes offline for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
Note: If your CourtConnect search returns nothing, the case may predate the Contexte system. Call the clerk at (479) 754-2175 for older records.
How to Request Court Records
Visiting the Clarksville courthouse in person is the most direct way to get Johnson County criminal court records. Bring a photo ID, any known case information like a case number or party name, and cash or a check for copies. Staff can locate records and confirm fees before you pay. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you search on your own first.
You can also mail your request to the Johnson County Circuit Clerk at P.O. Box 595, Clarksville, AR 72830. Include the case number if available, both party names, the approximate filing date, and the case type. Attach a check or money order for estimated copy fees along with a self-addressed stamped envelope for return. Mail processing takes 7 to 14 business days.
Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, public records must be made available during normal business hours. Indigent fee waivers may apply if the court approves a waiver form.
Johnson County District Court
District courts handle misdemeanors, traffic violations, and small claims at the first level. When a case is appealed or involves a more serious charge, it moves to circuit court and the Circuit Clerk takes over. The Clarksville District Court handles first-level criminal cases in Johnson County. Phone is (479) 754-3106.
Filing fees under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403 set the new circuit case filing fee at $165.00. District appeals carry a $150.00 fee. Reopening a case costs $50.00. When a district case moves up, the Circuit Clerk assumes custody of the record and collects the applicable fee.
Arrest Records and the Sheriff's Office
Arrest records for Johnson County come from the Sheriff's Office, not the Circuit Clerk. The Sheriff's office is at 301 Porter Industrial Road, Clarksville, AR 72830. Phone is (479) 754-2200. The Sheriff handles arrest records, warrant information, inmate records, and incident reports. These are separate from the court records the Circuit Clerk keeps.
To get incident reports, file a written FOIA request with the Sheriff's Office. Under Arkansas FOIA law, the office must respond within three business days. Include the date, time, and location of the incident and names of any parties involved if known. Warrant checks typically need an in-person visit with valid ID.
For a broader search across all Arkansas counties, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system runs name-based searches for $22.00. This is the best option when you need results that go beyond Johnson County alone.
Types of Criminal Court Records in Johnson County
The Circuit Clerk maintains several categories of criminal records. Felony cases are the most common at the circuit level, covering drug offenses, violent crimes, property crimes, and more. Misdemeanor cases appealed from district court also end up in the circuit clerk's files. Each case file usually includes the charging document, any arrest warrant, bond records, plea agreements, judgment and sentencing orders, and a full docket sheet showing every step in the case.
Some records are not public. Juvenile delinquency records are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309. Expunged records and court-ordered sealed records are also restricted. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and victim addresses in domestic violence cases are redacted from public copies. Historical Johnson County records from earlier decades may be held by the Arkansas State Archives, which is worth contacting for very old cases.
Johnson County Court Records Resources
The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts website lists every court in the state with contact details and self-help guides. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program offers public access terminals at select courthouses for free record searches and legal form access. The Arkansas Association of Counties maintains a directory of circuit clerks and county officials statewide. For federal criminal cases involving Johnson County defendants, the PACER system covers Western District of Arkansas federal 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.