Search Grant County Civil Court Records

Grant County civil court records are held by the Circuit Clerk in Sheridan, Arkansas. This page covers how to search case filings, get copies of court documents, and find civil records for cases filed in Grant County, whether you need recent data or older files kept at the courthouse.

Grant County Circuit Clerk Office

The Grant County Circuit Clerk office is located at 103 West Center Street, Room 106, Sheridan, AR 72150. The main courthouse address is 101 W Center, Sheridan, AR 72150. You can reach the office by phone at (870) 942-2631. Hours are Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

Grant County is one of 14 Arkansas counties where the Circuit Clerk and County Clerk positions are combined into a single office. That means one office handles both the court records side and the county recorder side. As circuit clerk, the office is responsible for maintaining all civil court filings, criminal case files, domestic relations records, and juvenile case documents. As county recorder, the same office keeps deeds, mortgages, liens, and other land instruments on file.

The clerk also serves as secretary to the Quorum Court and the Equalization Board and acts as the official voter registrar for the county. This is a broad set of duties for a single office, so when you call, be clear about what type of record you need. Civil court records and land records are handled through different sections of the office even though they share the same staff.

The Arkansas Association of Counties lists contact details for the Grant County office at arcounties.org/counties/grant/. That page may also show the name of the current clerk and any updated phone numbers or hours. It is a good starting point if you are not sure who to contact.

Search Grant County Civil Court Records Online

The Arkansas Judiciary runs Search ARCourts, the free public portal for case information across the state. Grant County cases are included in this system. You can search by party name, business name, or case number at no cost. The portal lets you filter results by county, court type, case type, party type, and case status.

Cases filed after August 1, 2018 are generally available through the online portal. Records from before that date may still be in the system but could be incomplete. For cases filed before January 1, 2009, any confidential details must be redacted under Administrative Order No. 19 before the record can be viewed online. If you do not find what you need online, the courthouse is the next step.

Online case searches show basic docket information: case number, party names, filing date, case type, and hearing dates. You can often see the types of documents filed and whether a judgment has been entered. Full document images may or may not be available depending on when the case was filed and whether the county has scanned those records into the system. When in doubt, call the clerk at (870) 942-2631 to confirm what is available online versus on-site.

Types of Civil Cases in Grant County Circuit Court

The Grant County Circuit Court hears all civil cases where the amount in dispute is more than $25,000. This includes breach of contract claims, personal injury and negligence lawsuits, property disputes, foreclosures, quiet title actions, and injunctions. The circuit court also handles appeals from the district court below it, so cases that started as smaller claims can move up if a party appeals the district court ruling.

The domestic relations division of the circuit court handles divorce, child custody, child support, and paternity cases. These are civil proceedings and their records are filed with the same Circuit Clerk as other civil matters. If you need a copy of a divorce decree or a custody order, you request it from the Circuit Clerk at 103 West Center Street. Property-related civil actions are also common in Grant County given the rural nature of the area. Disputes over land boundaries, easements, and real property titles come before the circuit court regularly.

The probate division handles wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and name change petitions. Probate records are civil court records. They are generally public except for certain adoption proceedings, which are sealed. If you need to check whether a will was probated or whether an estate was opened, you can search for those filings through the Circuit Clerk or through the Search ARCourts portal.

How to Get Copies of Civil Court Records

Copies of civil court records in Grant County are available in person or by mail. The in-person option is faster. Go to the Circuit Clerk at 103 West Center Street, Room 106, Sheridan, AR 72150 during regular business hours. Bring as much case information as you can: the case number, names of parties, and the approximate year the case was filed. Staff will locate the record and print copies for $0.25 per page.

Certified copies cost $5.00 per document in addition to copy fees. You need a certified copy if you plan to use the document for a legal purpose, such as filing it in another court or presenting it to a bank or agency. Standard copies are fine for reference purposes. Most offices accept cash, check, or money order. Call ahead at (870) 942-2631 to confirm which payment methods the office accepts.

Mail requests work if you cannot travel to Sheridan. Write to the Grant County Circuit Clerk at 103 West Center, Room 106, Sheridan, AR 72150. Include the names of the parties, case number if you have it, the type of case, and the year filed. Include a check or money order for the estimated copy fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return delivery. Processing times vary by workload. Call or email to get a better estimate before you send your request.

The Grant County government website at grantcountyar.com/circuit-county-clerk/ may have current contact details and any forms you need to submit with a records request. Check there before writing if you are unsure about the current clerk's name or mailing procedures.

Grant County District Court Civil Records

District courts in Arkansas handle civil claims up to $25,000 and small claims up to $5,000. They also hear misdemeanor criminal cases and traffic matters. For Grant County, district court records are separate from the circuit court records held by the combined clerk's office. Both types of records are considered public unless a specific court order seals them.

Small claims court offers a lower-cost, faster way to resolve disputes involving smaller dollar amounts. Both individuals and small businesses use it for things like unpaid debts, property damage, and contract disputes where the amount is modest. Filing fees for small claims are lower than circuit court fees, and cases are often heard within a few weeks of filing. For claims between $5,001 and $25,000, the regular district court civil process applies, which has somewhat more formal procedures than small claims.

If you need records from the Grant County District Court, contact the clerk at the district court location directly. Some district court records are searchable through the statewide Search ARCourts portal, but availability depends on how the local court has integrated with the state system. For older district court records, an in-person visit or phone call is the most reliable approach.

Public Access and Arkansas Law

Arkansas law makes most court records public. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, codified at Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq., gives any person the right to inspect and copy public records including court filings. You do not need to be a party to the case or give a reason for your request. The law applies to civil court records in all 75 Arkansas counties.

The Arkansas Supreme Court's Administrative Order No. 19 sets rules for electronic access to court records. Under this order, records are presumed public unless a specific statute or court order says otherwise. Records that are sealed, records involving juvenile proceedings, adoption cases, and certain mental health matters are not available to the public. Sealed records will not show up in online searches and cannot be retrieved through a standard request to the Circuit Clerk.

For records filed before January 1, 2009, certain personal information must be redacted before it can be provided electronically. That means you may be able to get basic case information but some details will be blacked out in electronic copies. If you need the full unredacted record, you may need to make an in-person request and show that you have a legitimate need for the unredacted version under the applicable statute.

The Arkansas Judiciary administrative orders page has the full text of Administrative Order No. 19 and other orders that govern how courts handle records. It is worth reading if you need to understand exactly what is and is not accessible and under what conditions.

Legal Resources in Grant County

Legal Services of Arkansas provides free civil legal help to people with low incomes across the state. Grant County residents can apply for assistance with civil matters including housing disputes, family law cases, and consumer issues. They cannot help with criminal cases, but if you are dealing with a civil court matter and cannot afford an attorney, this is the right place to start.

The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation supports legal aid programs across Arkansas. Their website can help you find resources if you are representing yourself in a civil case. The Arkansas Judiciary also posts self-help materials and court forms on its online services page. Forms for common civil proceedings like small claims and name changes are often available there at no cost.

Nearby Counties

Grant County sits in south-central Arkansas. The counties around it each have their own Circuit Clerk and civil court system.

• Saline County - to the north
• Pulaski County - to the northeast
• Lonoke County - to the east
• Jefferson County - to the southeast
• Arkansas County - to the south
• Hot Spring County - to the west