Search Saline County Criminal Court Records
Saline County criminal court records are kept by the Circuit Clerk's Office in Benton, and the county is one of a small number of Arkansas counties with full CourtConnect participation, which means more detailed case data is available online than in most other Arkansas counties. Whether you need to look up a felony case, track a pending matter, or get certified copies of court documents, this guide covers every way to access Saline County criminal court records, from the state's online portal to in-person visits at the Benton courthouse.
Saline County Criminal Court Records
Saline County Circuit Clerk
The Circuit Clerk for Saline County is Dennis Milligan. His office is at 200 N Main Street, Benton, AR 72015. Phone is (501) 303-5615 and fax is (501) 303-5620. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also email info@salinecircuitclerk.com, though staff use email for general guidance only and cannot send case documents that way.
The clerk's office maintains all circuit court filings under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102, which sets the clerk's duty to record all proceedings, issue warrants and summons, and keep files of all pending and past cases. The office records felony charges, misdemeanor appeals from district court, domestic-related criminal filings, and civil circuit matters. Saline County sits close to Pulaski County and serves the Benton area, which brings a significant volume of circuit court filings each year.
Saline County has full CourtConnect participation, which means more complete case information is available online compared to counties with only partial access. No login is needed to search.
Search Saline County Criminal Records Online
CourtConnect is the Arkansas judiciary's free public case search portal at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. Saline County is one of nine counties in Arkansas with full CourtConnect participation. That means you get comprehensive case information, full document images for participating case types, complete docket entries, and real-time case status updates, rather than just basic index data.
Search options for Saline County include advanced party name searches with wildcard support, case number lookup, date range filtering, case type filtering to isolate criminal cases, and attorney name searches. Results show party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status and disposition details, scheduled hearing dates, and all docket entries. For cases that have full document access enabled, you can view the actual filings online without visiting the courthouse.
Some cases are still excluded even with full participation. Juvenile records remain sealed under state law. Sealed and expunged matters do not appear. Cases filed before Saline County joined the Contexte system are not in the database. CourtConnect goes offline for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and from Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
Note: Even with full CourtConnect access, sensitive data like Social Security numbers and victim addresses is redacted from online documents.
How to Request Records in Saline County
An in-person visit to the Benton courthouse at 200 N Main Street gives you the most direct path to Saline County criminal court records. Bring a valid photo ID and any case information you have. Public access terminals are available so you can search on your own before asking staff for help. Staff can pull the case file, let you know the copy cost, and process the request on the same visit in many cases.
Mail requests are accepted too. Send a written request to the Saline County Circuit Clerk at 200 N Main Street, Benton, AR 72015. Include the defendant's full name, approximate filing date or year, case type, and case number if known. Attach a check or money order for estimated copy fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Expect 7 to 14 business days for return by mail. If the case is time-sensitive, calling first to confirm the record exists will save a step.
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 available for inspection at no cost during regular office hours. Parties who qualify as indigent may petition the court for a fee waiver, which requires a court order.
Saline County District Court
Saline County District Court handles misdemeanor charges, traffic cases, and small claims. It can be reached at (501) 303-5625. When a district court case is appealed or involves a charge elevated to felony level, it transfers to circuit court and the Circuit Clerk takes over record-keeping. District court records themselves stay with the district court, not the Circuit Clerk. If you are looking for misdemeanor records that were not appealed, contact the district court directly.
Circuit court filing fees fall under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403. New case filings cost $165.00. Appeals from district court carry a $150.00 fee. Reopening a closed case requires $50.00. These fees go to the Circuit Clerk when a case enters the circuit court system.
Arrest Records and the Saline County Sheriff
Arrest records for Saline County come from the Sheriff's Office, not the Circuit Clerk. The Sheriff's Office is at 735 S Neeley Street, Benton, AR 72015, and can be reached at (501) 303-5709. The Sheriff keeps arrest records, warrant information, inmate rosters, and incident reports. These are maintained separately from the criminal court case files at the clerk's office.
To get an incident report from the Sheriff, submit a written FOIA request. State law requires a response within three business days. Include the date, location, and names of involved parties. For warrant verification, an in-person visit with a valid ID is typically required. The Sheriff does not provide warrant confirmation over the phone as a standard practice.
For a statewide criminal background check, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system runs name-based searches across all 75 counties for $22.00 each. This is the right tool when you need a broad search that covers more than just Saline County.
Types of Records Held by the Saline County Clerk
The Circuit Clerk in Benton keeps several categories of criminal court records. Felony cases at the circuit level cover drug offenses, violent crimes, theft and property crimes, and weapons charges. Misdemeanor cases appealed up from district court also land in the clerk's files. Each case file typically contains the charging document, any arrest warrant issued, bond paperwork, motions, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and the complete docket sheet.
Certain records are not public. Juvenile delinquency cases are sealed under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309. Court-ordered expunged or sealed records do not appear in public searches. Sensitive data, including Social Security numbers and victim addresses in domestic violence matters, is redacted from copies released to the public. For very old records not in the Contexte system, contact the clerk's office directly or check with the Arkansas State Archives.
Saline County Court Resources
The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts provides contact information for all state courts plus free legal forms and self-help guides. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program places public access terminals at select courthouses where you can search records and get legal forms at no cost. The Arkansas Association of Counties directory lists up-to-date circuit clerk contact details for all counties. Federal cases involving Saline County defendants can be searched through PACER under the Eastern District of 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.