Howard County Civil Court Records

Howard County civil court records are held by the Circuit Clerk in Nashville, Arkansas, and date back to the county's formation in 1873. This page covers how to search those records online, what types of civil cases the Circuit Court handles, how to get copies, and where to find legal help if you need it.

Howard County Circuit Clerk Office

Circuit Clerk Angie Lewis runs the official records office for Howard County courts. The office is at 421 North Main Street, Nashville, AR 71852. You can reach the office by phone at (870) 845-7500 or (870) 845-7506. Fax is (870) 845-7505. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. All civil court filings go through this office.

The Circuit Clerk is the legal custodian of court records for Howard County. That includes records from all four circuit court divisions: civil, criminal, domestic relations, and juvenile. The Clerk also serves as ex-officio county recorder, so property instruments like deeds, mortgages, and liens are on file here too. Howard County was created on April 17, 1873, from parts of Pike, Hempstead, Polk, and Sevier Counties. Civil court and land records go back to that founding year, making this one of the older continuous sets of civil records in southwest Arkansas.

If you need a certified copy of a civil judgment, a case filing, or an old deed, the Circuit Clerk office is your first contact. Staff can locate records, print copies, and certify documents. They are not permitted to give legal advice, but they can tell you what is on file and how to request it.

The Arkansas Circuit Clerks Association lists circuit clerks for all 75 counties and provides resources on clerk duties and responsibilities. Howard County's clerk operates under the same legal framework as every other county in the state.

Search Howard County Civil Court Records Online

Howard County civil court records are available through the state's public search portal. Search ARCourts is the free tool run by the Arkansas Judiciary. You can look up cases by party name, business name, or case number. Howard County records are included in this system. No account is needed and there is no fee to search.

Public access terminals are also available at the Howard County courthouse during regular business hours. These kiosks let you search case data on-site at no cost. They are a good option if you are looking for older records that may not have been fully entered into the online system yet. Cases filed before January 1, 2009 have confidential details redacted when viewed online, per Administrative Order No. 19.

CourtConnect is another access tool offered through the Arkansas Judiciary. Information about participating counties and how to use the system is on the CourtConnect page. For technical support with any state search tool, call the Administrative Office of the Courts at (501) 410-1900, option 1, or toll-free at (866) 823-5778.

Note: If a case does not appear in the online system, contact the Circuit Clerk directly at (870) 845-7500. Some older records are stored physically at the courthouse and are not yet digitized.

Types of Civil Cases in Howard County Circuit Court

Howard County Circuit Court handles civil disputes under the framework set by Amendment 80 of the Arkansas Constitution, which took effect in 2001. That amendment organized Arkansas circuit courts into five divisions: criminal, civil, probate, domestic relations, and juvenile. Howard County cases in the civil division include breach of contract claims, personal injury suits, property disputes, foreclosures, and cases where the amount in dispute exceeds $25,000.

The domestic relations division produces records that overlap with civil proceedings. These include divorce filings, child custody orders, child support determinations, and related matters. Probate records cover wills, estates, guardianships, and name changes. All of these divisions generate records held by Circuit Clerk Angie Lewis. If you are looking for a divorce decree or an estate filing, you request it through the same office as any standard civil case file.

District Court in Howard County handles smaller civil matters. Civil claims up to $25,000 go through the district court, and small claims up to $5,000 can be filed there as well. District court records are separate from circuit court records but are also public. The statewide portal may include some district court data, or you may need to contact the district court directly.

How to Get Copies of Howard County Civil Court Records

You have three options for getting copies of civil court records from Howard County: in person, by mail, or online through the state portal.

In person is the fastest. Go to 421 North Main Street in Nashville during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Bring any case information you have: party names, case number, and the approximate year filed. Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 each. Staff will pull the file and make copies while you wait, or you may be asked to return the same day depending on how the request is handled.

Mail requests take longer but work for anyone who cannot visit in person. Write to the Circuit Clerk at 421 North Main Street, Nashville, AR 71852. Include a description of the record you need, party names, case number if known, and payment by check or money order. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the copies mailed back. Call (870) 845-7500 first to confirm the current fee and estimated wait time.

Online access through Search ARCourts is free and available at any time. You can view basic case information and docket entries from your browser. You will not be able to download full document images online, but you can confirm a case exists and then contact the Clerk for the actual documents.

Public Access and Arkansas Law

Court records in Arkansas are public documents. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq., gives any person the right to inspect and copy records held by public offices, including the Circuit Clerk. You do not need to explain why you want a record or prove a connection to the case.

Administrative Order No. 19 sets the rules for electronic access to civil court records. Under this order, court records are presumed to be open to the public unless a law or a specific court order says otherwise. Sealed cases, juvenile records, adoption proceedings, and certain confidential mental health records are not open for public inspection. When a case is sealed, it will not appear in the online system and cannot be retrieved through a standard request.

Ark. Code Ann. § 16-13-901 et seq. covers the general framework for court record access and directs how circuit clerks respond to requests. Howard County's Circuit Clerk follows these statutes when handling all record requests, whether in person or by mail. These rules apply uniformly across all 75 Arkansas counties.

Howard County Sheriff and Warrant Records

Active warrant information for Howard County is handled by the Howard County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's office is at 410 N. Washington Street, Nashville, AR 71852. The main line is (870) 845-2626. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

The Sheriff's office processes inquiries about active warrants and maintains the current warrant database for the county. In-person inquiries require proper identification. Electronic verification of warrant status is also possible through the Arkansas Judiciary case information system. Some warrant data may be restricted under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-90-104. For civil warrant matters tied to court orders, the Circuit Clerk office is the proper starting point.

Legal Resources in Howard County

If you need legal help with a civil matter in Howard County, a few organizations can assist. Legal Services of Arkansas offers free civil legal aid to qualified low-income residents. They can help with housing disputes, family law matters, and consumer issues.

The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation supports legal aid programs across the state and can point you to local resources. The Arkansas Judiciary's online services page has forms and self-help tools for common civil proceedings. The court kiosk program lets you search case data at the courthouse at no cost. For records held at the state archives, the Arkansas State Archives may have older historical court materials as well.

Nearby Counties

Howard County is in southwest Arkansas, part of the 8th Judicial Circuit. Neighboring counties each have their own Circuit Clerk and civil court system.

• Pike County - to the east
• Sevier County - to the south
• Hempstead County - to the southeast
• Polk County - to the north
• Little River County - to the west