Find Civil Court Records in Ashley County

Ashley County civil court records are kept by Circuit Clerk Vickie Riley Stell at the Hamburg courthouse. This page covers how to look up cases online, request document copies, and understand the court system that handles civil filings in the 10th Judicial Circuit of Arkansas.

Ashley County Circuit Clerk Office

Circuit Clerk Vickie Riley Stell runs the Circuit Clerk's office at 215 East Jefferson Street, Hamburg, AR 71646. The office phone is (870) 853-2000, and you can reach the fax line at (870) 853-2082. Email inquiries can be sent to ashleycoclerk@sbcglobal.net. Staff work Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The office website is at ashleycircuitclerk.com.

The Circuit Clerk is both the clerk of the circuit court and the ex-officio county recorder. This means one office manages two major functions: keeping track of all civil court proceedings and recording property documents like deeds, mortgages, and liens. If you are researching a property dispute that went to court, both the case file and the underlying property record are maintained by the same office.

The clerk's core duties include maintaining a record of all court proceedings, preparing dockets for each term of court, issuing summons and warrants, recording orders and judgments, maintaining files for both pending and closed cases, drawing jury panels, recording real property instruments, taking passport applications, and swearing in notaries public. These duties are set by Arkansas law and apply uniformly across all 75 county circuit clerks in the state.

Civil Court Records Online Search for Ashley County

Ashley County participates in the Search ARCourts portal maintained by the Arkansas Judiciary. This portal is free to use and lets anyone search for court case information using a party name, business name, or case number. Ashley County is listed as having partial information available, meaning some but not all cases have been loaded into the statewide Contexte case management system.

Cases that were filed before the county joined the online system may not appear in search results. Those older civil records are kept physically at the courthouse and must be retrieved in person or through a written request. When using the online portal, searching by case number gives the most precise results. If you do not have a case number, searching by last name along with an approximate year can help narrow down results from Ashley County's civil dockets.

The ARCourtKiosk at the Ashley County Courthouse, located at 205 East Jefferson Street, Hamburg, AR 71646, provides free in-court access to case types including felony criminal, divorce, custody, child support, eviction, contract disputes, and other civil disputes. This kiosk is available during courthouse hours and allows self-service lookups without waiting for clerk staff. For technical help with the online system, contact the AOC at acap.help@arcourts.gov.

Note: If a case is sealed, it will not appear in any online search regardless of the portal used. Sealed cases require a court order to access.

Types of Civil Cases Filed in Ashley County

Ashley County Circuit Court hears civil matters under the civil division established by Amendment 80 of the Arkansas Constitution. Cases include breach of contract lawsuits, personal injury claims, property disputes, and negligence actions where the amount in controversy exceeds $25,000. The court also handles appeals from district court decisions in civil matters.

Domestic relations filings make up a large portion of the civil records in any Arkansas county. Ashley County is no different. Divorce petitions, child custody modifications, child support enforcement actions, and alimony disputes all generate civil case files that are stored by the Circuit Clerk. These records are generally public with the exception of any portions that involve minor children's identifying information, which courts sometimes restrict under protective orders.

Probate cases are another common category. When someone dies with or without a will, the probate division of the circuit court handles the process of distributing assets, appointing administrators or executors, and resolving claims against the estate. Name changes, guardianships, and conservatorships also go through probate. All of these proceedings create records that are available through the Circuit Clerk's office at 215 East Jefferson Street in Hamburg.

How to Obtain Civil Court Record Copies

You can get copies of civil court records from Ashley County in three ways: visiting in person, mailing a request, or searching online.

In-person requests are processed at the Hamburg courthouse during regular hours. Bring any information you have about the case, including party names, case number, or approximate filing year. Staff will locate the record and print copies. The fee is $0.25 per page for standard copies. Certified copies, which carry the court seal and clerk's signature, cost $5.00 each. These are needed for legal proceedings, loan applications, or any purpose requiring official court documentation.

Mail requests should be sent to Vickie Riley Stell, Circuit Clerk, 215 East Jefferson Street, Hamburg, AR 71646. Include the party names, case number if available, filing year, and a check or money order for the estimated fee. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope so copies can be returned by mail. Call (870) 853-2000 to confirm the current fee schedule and expected processing time before mailing.

Ashley County District Court

District court in Ashley County handles civil claims up to $25,000, small claims up to $5,000, misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and preliminary felony matters. District court is a separate court from the circuit court, but both are part of the Arkansas court system under the Arkansas Judiciary.

Small claims court is the most accessible option for individuals with relatively straightforward disputes involving limited dollar amounts. The process is faster and less formal than circuit court. Both parties typically appear without attorneys, though you may bring one if you choose. For civil claims in the range of $5,001 to $25,000, the district court's regular civil process applies, which is somewhat more structured but still simpler than circuit court litigation.

District court records may be accessible through the CourtConnect portal for participating divisions or by contacting the Ashley County Courthouse directly at (870) 853-2000 to find out which district court division handles your area.

Public Access to Ashley County Civil Records

Arkansas FOIA, codified at Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq., treats most civil court records as public. Anyone can request access to them. You do not need to be a party to the case, an attorney, or a resident of Ashley County. The right to inspect and copy public records is open to all.

Administrative Order No. 19 from the Arkansas Supreme Court governs how electronic court records are provided to the public. Under this order, court records are presumed open unless a specific statute or court order closes them. The categories that are restricted include juvenile records, adoption proceedings, records sealed by court order, and certain mental health matters. When such restrictions apply, the record will not appear in online searches and cannot be retrieved through a normal request.

Records created before January 1, 2009 must have confidential information redacted when accessed electronically. This rule applies statewide, including in Ashley County. For older records that were never entered into an electronic system, the original paper files are the only version that exists, and those can only be reviewed in person at the courthouse. Ark. Code Ann. § 16-13-901 et seq. sets out the statutory framework for court record access in all Arkansas counties.

Legal Help and Resources in Ashley County

Legal Services of Arkansas offers free civil legal aid to qualifying residents across the state. Ashley County residents who need help with civil court matters, housing, family law, or consumer issues can contact Legal Services for guidance. The organization handles cases that do not involve criminal charges.

The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation supports legal aid efforts statewide and works to make the courts accessible to people who cannot afford an attorney. If you are handling a civil case on your own, the Arkansas Judiciary's online services page offers some self-help materials and general information about court procedures.

The Arkansas Circuit Clerks Association can also be a useful reference for understanding what circuit clerks do across the state and how they differ from other county offices.

Nearby Counties

Ashley County sits in the southeastern corner of Arkansas. Several neighboring counties also have civil court records systems worth knowing if your case crosses county lines.

• Drew County - to the north
• Union County - to the west
• Chicot County - to the east
• Bradley County - to the northwest