Clark County Civil Court Records

Clark County civil court records are maintained by Circuit Clerk Brian Daniel at the Arkadelphia courthouse in the 7th Judicial Circuit. This page tells you how to find civil case filings in Clark County, request copies of court documents, use the online search portal, and connect with local legal resources for the Arkadelphia area.

Clark County Circuit Clerk Office

Circuit Clerk Brian Daniel leads the Clark County Circuit Clerk's office on the second floor of the Clark County Courthouse, 401 Clay Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. The mailing address is P.O. Box 576, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. The main phone is (870) 246-4281, and the fax is (870) 246-1419. Brian Daniel can be reached directly at brian.daniel@clarkcircuit.com. The office's official website is at clarkcountyar.gov/circuit-clerk. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The Clark County Circuit Clerk's office is staffed by Brian Daniel and a team including Kendra Nash, Sandra Peterson, Misty Ward, and Anna Brazeal. The office handles a full range of civil court records: it is the clerk of the circuit court and juvenile court, serves as ex-officio county recorder, and maintains records of all circuit court proceedings. Duties include entering docket numbers, preparing case dockets, issuing summons and warrants, recording orders and judgments, and maintaining files for both pending and closed cases.

A few practical points from the office's FAQ are worth noting. Juvenile records are confidential and are not available to the general public. The Circuit Clerk handles judicial foreclosures only. Non-judicial foreclosure sales are posted on the first floor of the courthouse in a glass case. The office does not provide legal forms for divorces, name changes, deeds, or mortgages. Legal forms are available at arlawhelp.org. Marriage licenses are handled by the County Clerk's office at (870) 246-4491. Birth certificates are at the Bureau of Vital Records in Little Rock. Same-day e-file services are available through Tradition Lien Service.

Online Search for Clark County Civil Court Records

Clark County has full case information available through the Search ARCourts portal. This free system allows anyone to search civil cases in Clark County by party name, case number, or attorney. Historical records dating back to 1819 are noted in research materials, though older records may not all be in the online system. Recent filings since the county joined the Contexte platform are well-represented.

The CourtConnect program from the Arkansas Judiciary powers the statewide search portal. It lets you view case information and activities, search judgments, look up docket filings by date, and check on pending matters. For Clark County cases, this is the primary free online resource. The system is available around the clock. For technical assistance, call the AOC at (501) 410-1900 option 1 or (866) 823-5778 toll-free, or email acap.help@arcourts.gov.

For land records, the Clark County Circuit Clerk website offers access to recorded documents through the recorder function. UCC filings, deed records, and property instruments are searchable through the county's online portal. These are separate from civil court case records but are maintained by the same office. The Clark County Assessor is at 401 Clay Street, First Floor, Arkadelphia, AR 71923, phone (870) 246-4431, for property-related inquiries.

Note: Juvenile records, sealed cases, and adoption proceedings will not appear in any online search for Clark County or any other Arkansas county. Contact the Circuit Clerk at (870) 246-4281 if you have questions about a specific case that is not appearing in online results.

Types of Civil Cases in Clark County Circuit Court

Clark County Circuit Court handles civil matters in five divisions under Amendment 80: civil, criminal, probate, domestic relations, and juvenile. Civil cases include contract disputes, personal injury and negligence lawsuits, real property litigation, business disputes, and any civil action above $25,000. The court also hears appeals from the four district courts operating in Clark County.

Domestic relations filings are a major category of Clark County civil records. Divorce, child custody, support orders, and modifications of prior judgments all generate files maintained by the Circuit Clerk. The office does not provide divorce forms. Those are available at arlawhelp.org, and parties who want to represent themselves in a divorce must obtain and complete those forms before filing. The Circuit Clerk's office can accept filings but cannot give legal advice on how to complete forms.

Probate cases in Clark County cover wills, estate administration, guardianship, conservatorship, and name changes. Certified copies of probate orders or letters of administration cost $5.00 per document. These are needed for banks, title companies, and others who require official proof of court action in an estate or guardianship matter. All probate records are filed with and held by the Circuit Clerk at 401 Clay Street in Arkadelphia.

How to Get Clark County Civil Court Record Copies

In-person requests at 401 Clay Street, Second Floor, Arkadelphia, are the fastest option. Office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. Bring the party names and any case number you have. Staff will search the records and provide copies at $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 each.

Mail requests can be sent to P.O. Box 576, Arkadelphia, AR 71923, addressed to Brian Daniel, Circuit Clerk. Include party names, filing year, case number if available, and a check or money order for copying fees. An email request can be sent to brian.daniel@clarkcircuit.com. Include the same identifying information and ask about current fees before sending payment. The fax number for the office is (870) 246-1419.

Clark County District Courts

Clark County has four district court locations. The Amity District Court is at P.O. Box 197, Amity, AR 71921, phone (870) 342-5822. The Arkadelphia District Court is at P.O. Box 449, Arkadelphia, AR 71923, phone (870) 246-9552. The Caddo Valley District Court is at 137 Malvern Rd, Arkadelphia, AR 71923, phone (870) 246-8283. The Gurdon District Court shares the Arkadelphia mailing address at P.O. Box 449, phone (870) 246-9552.

All four district courts handle civil claims up to $25,000, small claims up to $5,000, misdemeanor criminal offenses, traffic violations, and preliminary felony matters. Small claims in Clark County follow Arkansas's streamlined process for disputes up to $5,000. For civil claims between $5,001 and $25,000, the regular district civil procedure applies. District court records for Clark County may appear in the statewide CourtConnect portal or can be requested from the specific district court location.

Public Access Laws and FOIA in Clark County

Clark County civil court records are public under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq., the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. Anyone may inspect or copy these records without providing a reason. The Circuit Clerk must allow access during business hours and must respond to written requests within the timeframes set by law.

Administrative Order No. 19, found at arcourts.gov, governs electronic access and establishes that records are presumed public. Sealed cases, juvenile records, and adoption proceedings are excluded from public access under this order and under specific Arkansas statutes. In Clark County, as in all 75 Arkansas counties, the Clerk follows these rules uniformly.

Ark. Code Ann. § 16-13-901 et seq. provides the statutory basis for court record access. Records created before January 1, 2009 must have confidential details redacted when accessed electronically. Clark County's court records dating back to 1819 are historically significant, and for the oldest records, in-person review may be the only practical option. The Circuit Clerk can advise on the condition and format of those very early files.

Legal Resources in Clark County

Legal Services of Arkansas provides free civil legal aid to qualifying residents of Clark County. They handle civil matters including housing, family law, and consumer issues. Income-based eligibility applies. For self-represented litigants needing legal forms, arlawhelp.org is explicitly recommended by the Clark County Circuit Clerk's office as the source for divorce forms, name change forms, and other civil court documents.

The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation supports legal aid statewide. The Arkansas Judiciary online services page provides general procedural information and links to statewide resources. For property records and real estate-related research in Clark County, the assessor's office at (870) 246-4431 can help with property-specific inquiries that are separate from civil court proceedings.

Nearby Counties

Clark County is in southwest-central Arkansas. Neighboring counties have their own circuit courts and civil record systems.

• Garland County - to the north
• Hot Spring County - to the northeast
• Dallas County - to the east
• Ouachita County - to the south
• Nevada County - to the southwest
• Pike County - to the west