Yell County Criminal Court Records
Yell County criminal court records are filed and kept by the Circuit Clerk's Office, which runs two locations serving the county: one in Dardanelle and one in Danville. Both offices handle circuit court filings, and you can visit either one to search records, request copies, or get certified documents. Whether you need to look up a felony case, check the status of a misdemeanor appeal, or find out what happened in an old case, this page covers the offices, phone numbers, fees, and online tools available for Yell County criminal court record searches.
Yell County Criminal Court Records
Yell County Circuit Clerk Locations
Lisa D. Daniels is the Circuit Clerk for Yell County. The county has two courthouse offices. The Dardanelle office is at 106 N 2nd Street, Dardanelle, AR 72834. Phone is (479) 229-2694 and fax is (479) 229-2696. The Danville office is at 209 E 8th Street, Danville, AR 72833. Phone is (479) 495-4850 and fax is (479) 495-4855. Both offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can email the clerk at yellclerk@arkansasclerks.com for general questions.
The Circuit Clerk maintains all circuit court filings under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-20-102, which requires the clerk to record all court proceedings, issue summons and warrants, and keep files on all pending and past cases. Yell County records include felony charges, misdemeanor appeals from district courts, domestic matters with criminal elements, and civil filings. Each case file holds the charging document, bond records, arrest warrants if issued, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and a complete docket sheet.
Yell County is notable for having two active courthouse locations, which reflects the county's split between two distinct population centers. When you search online through CourtConnect, records from both locations appear together in the results. If you visit in person, either office can assist you, though staff may direct you to the specific location where a case was originally filed.
The Arkansas CourtConnect portal is the primary online tool for searching Yell County criminal court records. Search by party name, case number, or citation without creating an account.
Search Yell County Cases Online
CourtConnect is the free statewide case search tool run by the Arkansas judiciary. Reach it at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. No login is required. You can search by party name, case number, or citation number, and filter by court, case type, and date range. Yell County participates on a partial basis. Basic case index data is available, but full document images are not. A typical result includes party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status and disposition, scheduled hearing dates, and docket entries.
CourtConnect does not give you the actual court documents. Transcripts, affidavits, exhibits, and detailed filings are not in the portal. Sealed cases and juvenile records do not appear at all. Cases that predate the county's entry into the Contexte case management system are also absent. If you get no results for a case you know was filed in Yell County, it may predate the online system or be listed under a slightly different name spelling. Call either clerk's office for older records or cases not showing up online.
Note: CourtConnect is offline for maintenance from 12:30 AM to 2:00 AM on weekdays and from Saturday evening through Sunday noon.
Requesting Copies of Yell County Records
In-person visits are the fastest way to get Yell County criminal court records. Visit either the Dardanelle or Danville courthouse during business hours. Bring a photo ID and whatever case information you have. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you run your own search before asking staff for help. Staff can pull specific records and let you know the total copy fee before any payment is due.
Mail requests are accepted at the Dardanelle address: Yell County Circuit Clerk, 106 N 2nd Street, Dardanelle, AR 72834. Your written request should include the case number, both party names, approximate filing date, and type of case. Include a check or money order for estimated fees plus a self-addressed stamped envelope for return. Standard copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document. Inspecting public records in person is free. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, public records must be made available during business hours. Mail requests typically take 7 to 14 business days.
Yell County District Courts
District courts in Yell County handle misdemeanors, traffic violations, and small claims at the first level. When a district court case is appealed or involves a more serious charge, it moves to the circuit court and the Circuit Clerk takes over the file. Filing fees at the circuit level are governed by Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403. A new case filing costs $165.00. District court appeals carry a $150.00 fee. Reopening a closed case costs $50.00. These fees go to the Circuit Clerk when a case first enters the circuit court system.
Cases resolved at the district court level stay in district court files and do not appear in the Circuit Clerk's records. If you are looking for a misdemeanor that was handled entirely at the district level without an appeal, contact the district court rather than the Circuit Clerk. Either clerk's office can tell you which court has the records for a specific case if you are unsure.
Arrest Records and Yell County Sheriff
Arrest records for Yell County come from the Sheriff's Office, not the Circuit Clerk. The Sheriff's Office is at 101 E 5th Street, Danville, AR 72833. Phone is (479) 495-4880. The Sheriff's Office manages arrest records, warrant information, inmate records, and incident reports. These records are separate from circuit court filings and are maintained under a different system.
To request an incident report, file a written FOIA request with the Sheriff's Office. Arkansas law gives the office three business days to respond. Include the date, time, and location of the incident and the names of involved parties if known. Warrant checks usually require an in-person visit with valid photo ID. Keep in mind that an arrest record does not always lead to a circuit court case. The two sets of records are kept by separate offices and may not match up in every situation.
For a background check that covers all of Arkansas, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check system runs name-based searches for $22.00 per inquiry. This is the right tool when you need results from multiple Arkansas counties, not just Yell County.
What Yell County Criminal Files Contain
The Circuit Clerk holds several types of criminal records. Felony cases are the most frequent at the circuit level and cover drug charges, violent offenses, property crimes, and other matters with potential prison time. Misdemeanor cases appealed up from district courts in Dardanelle, Danville, or other local courts also appear in the circuit clerk's system once they advance beyond the district level.
Some records are sealed and not available to the public. Juvenile delinquency records are protected under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309. Records sealed or expunged by court order are removed from public access. Copies produced for public release have Social Security numbers, financial account details, and victim addresses in domestic cases redacted. Certified copies include the clerk's seal, signature, and a certification statement confirming the document is a true and correct copy.
Historical Yell County court records going back decades are held in the clerk's archives. Very old files may be at the Arkansas State Archives. If you are researching a case from many years ago, checking the archives first can save a trip to the courthouse.
Yell County Record Search Resources
Several statewide tools can help with Yell County criminal record research. The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts lists contact information for every Arkansas court, including both Yell County circuit court locations, and provides forms and self-help guides. The Arkansas Courthouse Kiosk program operates public access terminals at select courthouses where you can search records and access legal forms at no cost. The Arkansas Association of Counties keeps a directory of circuit clerks and county officials statewide.
Yell County has no qualifying city pages in this directory. All criminal court records for the county are handled at the two Circuit Clerk locations in Dardanelle and Danville. Residents from all parts of the county use these two offices for all circuit court records and filings.
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.