Ouachita County Criminal Court Records
Ouachita County criminal court records are kept by the Circuit Clerk's Office in Camden, Arkansas. If you need to look up a felony case, find a misdemeanor filing, or get copies of criminal court documents, this guide covers every way to search Ouachita County criminal court records, from the state's free CourtConnect portal to in-person visits at the Camden courthouse. The clerk's office handles all circuit court filings and can help you find what you need.
Ouachita County Criminal Court Records
Find Ouachita County Criminal Court Records
The Circuit Clerk for Ouachita County is Connie A. Patterson. Her office is located at 145 Jefferson Avenue, Camden, AR 71701. The mailing address is P.O. Box 644, Camden, AR 71711. You can reach the office by phone at (870) 837-2220, or by fax at (870) 837-2209. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. 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 warrants and summons, and keep files of all pending and past cases.
The office records felony charges filed in the Ouachita County Circuit Court, misdemeanor cases appealed from the local district court, domestic filings, and civil matters. Each case file generally includes the charging document or information, any arrest warrant issued, bond records, plea agreements or trial verdicts, the judgment and sentencing order, and the complete docket sheet. Staff at the Camden office can assist you in locating a case, pulling records, and providing copy estimates before you pay.
The Ouachita County website provides basic office contact details and information about county departments. Full criminal case searches are done through the state's CourtConnect portal. You can also email the clerk's office at ouachitaclerk@arkansasclerks.com for general inquiries, though staff can only provide guidance by email and cannot send court documents that way.
Arkansas CourtConnect is the state's free online case search tool. Ouachita County records appear in the system with basic party name and case number information for active and recent cases.
Search Criminal Records Online
The state of Arkansas runs a free case search tool called CourtConnect. You can access it at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. No account or login is needed. The search works by party name, case number, or citation number. You can also filter by court, case type, and date range. Ouachita County has partial participation in CourtConnect, which means basic index information is available but full document images are not online.
A CourtConnect search for Ouachita County criminal cases will show party names, case numbers, filing dates, current case status, scheduled hearing dates, and general docket entries. What you will not find are actual court documents, transcripts, or exhibits. Sealed cases and juvenile records do not appear. Cases filed before the county entered the Contexte case management system may also be missing from the online database.
For documents not in CourtConnect, contact the clerk's office directly. CourtConnect is a good first step to confirm a case exists and get the case number before making a formal records request.
Note: The CourtConnect system is down for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
How to Request Records in Ouachita County
In-person visits to the Camden courthouse are the most direct way to get Ouachita County criminal court records. Bring a photo ID, any known case information such as a case number or party names, and payment for copies. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you do a self-directed search. Staff can locate records and give you a copy fee estimate before you pay.
Mail requests are also accepted. Send a written request to the Ouachita County Circuit Clerk at P.O. Box 644, Camden, AR 71711. Include the case number if available, the names of both parties, the approximate filing date, and the type of case. Attach a check or money order for estimated fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing by mail typically takes 7 to 14 business days.
Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. There is no charge to inspect public records in person at the courthouse. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, public records must be available during regular business hours. The statute sets a three-business-day response deadline for written records requests.
Ouachita County District Court and Case Filings
Arkansas district courts handle misdemeanors, traffic violations, and small claims. When a district court case is appealed or involves a more serious charge, it moves to circuit court. The Ouachita County District Court can be reached at (870) 836-6568. Cases from this court that move up to circuit court become part of the criminal records maintained by the Circuit Clerk.
Filing fees under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403 set the new circuit court case filing fee at $165.00 statewide. District court appeals carry a $150.00 fee. Reopening a case costs $50.00. These fees apply when a case enters or re-enters the circuit court system. The clerk collects these fees at the time of filing.
If you are unsure whether a case is at the district or circuit level, start with a CourtConnect search. The system will show the court level and current status for cases that are in the database.
Arrest Records and the Sheriff's Office
Arrest records in Ouachita County come from the Sheriff's Office, not the Circuit Clerk. The Sheriff's Office is at 109 Goodwin Place, Camden, AR 71701. The phone number is (870) 231-5300. The Sheriff handles arrest records, warrant information, inmate rosters, and incident reports.
To get an incident report, file a written request under Arkansas FOIA law. The office must respond within three business days. Provide the date and location of the incident, the names of parties involved if known, and a brief description. Warrant verification usually requires an in-person visit with a valid photo ID. Arrest records and court records are separate. An arrest by the Sheriff does not always mean a circuit court case was filed.
For a broader statewide search, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system processes name-based checks for $22.00 per search. This is useful when you need results that go beyond Ouachita County alone.
Types of Criminal Records Kept in Camden
The Circuit Clerk's office in Camden keeps several categories of criminal court records. Felony cases are the most common at the circuit level and include drug offenses, violent crimes, property crimes, and financial crimes. Misdemeanor cases appealed from the local district court also land in the circuit clerk's files. Each case file typically contains the charging document, arrest warrant if one was issued, bond records, plea agreements, judgment and sentencing orders, and the full docket sheet showing every step of the case from filing to close.
Some records are restricted. Juvenile delinquency records are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309 and are not available to the general public. Court-ordered sealed and expunged records also do not appear in public searches. Copies provided to the public have Social Security numbers, financial account details, and victim home addresses redacted.
Historical records from Ouachita County going back many decades may be held in the clerk's archives or transferred to the Arkansas State Archives. For very old cases, contacting the archives may be a better first step than CourtConnect.
Ouachita County Court Records Resources
Several tools help with Ouachita County criminal record searches. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts website lists contact information for every court in the state and offers forms and self-help guides. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program operates public access terminals at select locations where you can search records and find legal forms at no cost. The Arkansas Association of Counties directory lists contact information for circuit clerks and other county officials statewide.
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.