Prairie County Criminal Court Records
Prairie County criminal court records are filed with the Circuit Clerk's Office, which operates two locations serving the county's northern and southern districts. This guide explains how to search case records online through CourtConnect, how to request copies from either clerk's office location, and where to find arrest records and background check services for Prairie County.
Prairie County Criminal Court Records
Prairie County Circuit Clerk's Office
The Circuit Clerk for Prairie County is Sherry L. Smith. Prairie County operates two clerk office locations. The Des Arc office is at 200 Courthouse Square, Des Arc, AR 72040, and can be reached at (870) 256-3714. The DeValls Bluff office is at 161 Main Street, DeValls Bluff, AR 72041, reachable at (870) 998-2612. Both offices are 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 closed cases, and issue process documents. Both Prairie County offices maintain the same types of records: felony charges, misdemeanor appeals from district court, domestic cases, and civil matters filed in the county's judicial circuit.
When you search CourtConnect online, records from both Prairie County office locations appear together. If you visit in person, staff at either location can help you locate records, though they may direct you to the specific office where a case was filed. Email contact is prairieclerk@arkansasclerks.com.
CourtConnect at caseinfo.arcourts.gov is the free state portal for searching Prairie County criminal case records. Records from both the Des Arc and DeValls Bluff court locations appear in the same online search.
Online Case Search Through CourtConnect
CourtConnect at caseinfo.arcourts.gov is the free state portal. No account is required. Search by party name, case number, or citation number, and filter by court, case type, or date range. Prairie County has partial participation, so you get basic index data and limited case details but not full document images.
A Prairie County search on CourtConnect shows party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status and disposition, scheduled hearings, and general docket entries. You won't find full court documents, transcripts, or exhibits online. Sealed cases and juvenile records don't appear. Cases that predate the county's entry into the Contexte case management system are also not in the online database.
When CourtConnect shows no results, a case may simply predate the online system. Call the Des Arc office at (870) 256-3714 or the DeValls Bluff office at (870) 998-2612 to check for older records. The system is down for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
How to Request Criminal Court Records
You can visit either Prairie County clerk location in person. Bring a photo ID and any case information you have. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you do a self-directed search before asking staff. Staff can locate records and tell you copy fees before you pay.
Mail requests go to 200 Courthouse Square, Des Arc, AR 72040. 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. Processing takes 7 to 14 business days. Email questions to prairieclerk@arkansasclerks.com are fine for general inquiries, but don't expect document copies back by email.
Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. Inspection of public records at the courthouse 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. Fee waivers may apply for indigent parties with court approval.
Filing fees under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403 are $165.00 for new cases and $150.00 for district court appeals to circuit court.
Arrest Records and the Prairie County Sheriff
Arrest records in Prairie County come from the Sheriff's Office at 200 Courthouse Square, Des Arc, AR 72040. Phone is (870) 256-4137. The Sheriff maintains arrest records, warrant information, jail records, and incident reports. The Circuit Clerk only maintains court case files, not arrest records.
To get an incident report, submit a written FOIA request to the Sheriff's Office. Include the date, time, and location of the incident and names of parties if known. Under Arkansas FOIA, the Sheriff must respond within three business days. Warrant checks typically need an in-person visit with valid 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. This is useful when you need results that go beyond Prairie County alone.
What Records the Clerk Maintains
The Prairie County Circuit Clerk keeps all criminal case files at the circuit level. Felony cases make up the bulk of the records, covering drug offenses, violent crimes, property crimes, and other charges beyond district court jurisdiction. Misdemeanor cases appealed from local district courts also appear in the circuit clerk's files.
Each case file typically contains the charging document, arrest warrant if issued, bond records, plea agreement, judgment and sentencing order, and the full docket sheet. The docket sheet tracks every step of the case from initial filing to final disposition.
Records that are not public include juvenile delinquency records, sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309, and records a court has ordered sealed or expunged. Public copies have Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and victim addresses in domestic violence cases removed.
Historical Prairie County records going back several decades may be stored in the clerk's archives or at the Arkansas State Archives. For very old records, contacting the archives directly is often more productive than starting with CourtConnect.
Additional Resources
The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts website provides forms, self-help guides, and contact information for all courts in the state. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program offers free public access terminals at select courthouses for record searches and legal forms. The Arkansas Association of Counties directory lists contact information for all circuit clerks statewide.
For free legal help, Arkansas Legal Services assists income-qualifying residents through their website's online intake form. Courthouse law libraries in Des Arc are also open to the public during business hours.
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.