Search Polk County Criminal Court Records
Polk County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk's Office in Mena. This guide explains how to search felony and misdemeanor case records online through Arkansas CourtConnect, how to request copies from the clerk's office, and where to find arrest records and background check resources in Polk County.
Polk County Criminal Court Records
Polk County Circuit Clerk's Office
The Circuit Clerk for Polk County is Sherry A. Runion. The office is at 507 Church Avenue, Mena, AR 71953. You can also use P.O. Box 391, Mena, AR 71953 for mail. The main phone number is (479) 394-8100 and fax is (479) 394-8105. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102, the clerk must record all court proceedings, keep files for all pending and past cases, and issue summons and warrants. The Polk County office covers felony cases, misdemeanor appeals from district court, civil filings, and domestic matters in the 18th Judicial Circuit.
Email inquiries go to polkclerk@arkansasclerks.com. Staff can answer general questions by email but cannot send copies of confidential documents through that channel. For records, you need to visit in person or submit a written mail request.
CourtConnect at caseinfo.arcourts.gov provides basic case index information for Polk County criminal cases. The portal is free and requires no account to search by name or case number.
Online Search Through CourtConnect
CourtConnect at caseinfo.arcourts.gov is the state's free online case search. You need no account to use it. Search by party name, case number, or citation number, and filter by court, case type, or date range. Polk County has partial participation in CourtConnect, so you get basic index data but not full document images.
Results from a Polk County search on CourtConnect include party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status and disposition, scheduled hearing dates, and general docket entries. The actual court documents, transcripts, affidavits, and exhibits are not available online. Sealed cases and juvenile records do not appear at all. Cases filed before Polk County entered the Contexte case management system may not show up in the database.
When CourtConnect returns no results, the case may predate the county's entry into the online system. Call the clerk at (479) 394-8100 to check for older records. CourtConnect goes down for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
Requesting Criminal Court Records
The easiest way to get Polk County criminal court records is an in-person visit to 507 Church Avenue in Mena. Bring a photo ID and any case information you have, like the case number or party names. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you do a self-directed search. Staff can help locate records and tell you the copy costs before you pay.
Mail requests are accepted at P.O. Box 391, Mena, AR 71953. Include the case number if known, both party names, the approximate filing date, and the case type. Attach a check or money order for copy fees and a stamped return envelope. Mail requests take 7 to 14 business days. General questions can go to polkclerk@arkansasclerks.com, but don't expect documents back by email.
Standard copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document. Inspection of public records in person is free. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, public records must be available for inspection during regular business hours. New case filing fees under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403 are $165.00 for new cases and $150.00 for district court appeals.
Arrest Records and the Polk County Sheriff
Arrest records in Polk County come from the Sheriff's Office at 507 Church Avenue, Mena, AR 71953. Phone is (479) 394-2511. The Sheriff handles arrest records, warrant information, inmate records, and incident reports. The Circuit Clerk does not maintain arrest records, only court case files.
For an incident report, submit a written FOIA request to the Sheriff's Office. Include the date, time, and location of the incident and the names of parties if known. Arkansas FOIA requires a response within three business days. Warrant checks usually need an in-person visit with a valid photo ID.
For a statewide background check, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system runs name-based searches for $22.00 per search and covers all 75 Arkansas counties.
What Criminal Records Contain
The Polk County Circuit Clerk keeps files for all criminal cases at the circuit level. Felonies make up the bulk of the records and cover drug offenses, violent crimes, property crimes, and more serious charges. Misdemeanor cases appealed from local district courts also appear in the circuit clerk's files.
Each case file generally contains the charging document, arrest warrant if issued, bond records, plea agreement, judgment and sentencing order, and the full docket sheet showing every step of the case from filing to final disposition.
Records that are not public include juvenile delinquency records, which are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309, and records that a court has ordered sealed or expunged. Copies provided to the public have Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and victim home addresses in domestic violence cases removed.
Historical records from Polk County going back many decades may be stored in the clerk's archives or at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock.
Additional Resources
Beyond the Circuit Clerk and Sheriff, several other resources are useful for Polk County criminal record research. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts website has forms, self-help guides, and contact information for every court in the state. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program has public access terminals at select courthouses where you can search records and find legal forms free of charge. The Arkansas Association of Counties lists contact information for all circuit clerks statewide.
For free legal help, Arkansas Legal Services provides assistance to income-qualifying residents. Their website has an online intake form. The courthouse law library in Mena is also open to the public during business hours for self-represented parties.
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.