(501) 682-2007 Contact Us. Therefore, any individual in Arkansas State can search public data for a free public record search. Only 9 out of 12 jurors must agree to decide on a small claims case. AOC CourtConnect We are experiencing intermittent issues. If you have questions about a case specifically you will need to contact the court where the case was filed. The debtor may apply for bankruptcy under Chapters 7, 11, or 13. The exact jurisdiction of the Arkansas Court of Appeals is determined by the state's Supreme Court. Director Marty Sullivan 501-682-9400. Attorneys don't need to be present at small claims hearings. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. However, requestors may be required to provide information to facilitate the search as well as a nominal fee to cover the cost of copying. Lawsuits of broken written contracts must be filed within five years after the offense, while slander expires after one year. The filing of a UCC lien with the Secretary of State serves as a public notification of the creditor's claim on the property. AOC Public CourtConnect provides online access to these records through the Contexte Case Management System. If the city or municipal courts are not applicable, the court with the assumed general jurisdiction is the Circuit Court for the judicial district. Attorney General of Arkansas The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a comprehensive open-records law. All of these factors are included in the determination of which court has specific jurisdiction over a case. Those who disagree with a small claims court judgment in Arkansas may appeal to their local Circuit Court. The information in the registry includes names, photographs, offences, and physical descriptions. The county charges $0.03 per page to make black and white copies of court records, while colored copies are available for $0.20 per page. At present, there are 16 State District Courts with 67 departments and 25 judges who are elected to a four-year term each. The Court also allows limited filers to file electronically. In civil suits, plaintiffs claim money for damages and recovery of personal properties with values that do not exceed $25,000. You will need either the case number or party name. However, Arkansas laws demand that the total fee be paid upfront if it exceeds $25. The first step to take when trying to obtain court records in Arkansas is to determine the court that tried the particular case requested and then approach the clerk of that court. Exempted records include income tax records, ongoing law enforcement investigations, personnel records such as an individuals birth certificate, certified copies of some Arkansas vital records, adoption records, and so on. Interested persons can use the registry to find sex offender information. The custodian may also charge fees for actual costs expended to make the record available. Arkansas Free Legal Answers; Court Records. Each one is elected in a circuit-wide non-partisan election and serves a 6-year term. If the total fees exceed $25, the requester may need to pay the fees in advance. In Arkansas, records of government activity are public. However, individuals whose records are sealed may respond to questions regarding their criminal history as though the offence never took place. However, this cannot be said concerning public data searches on third-party sites. The search tool gives case information from the District Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Courts, and Supreme Court. The Arkansas Court of Appeals is the appellate court for Arkansas that acts as the intermediate step between lower courts such as Division Courts and Circuit Courts, and the state's higher court, the Arkansas Supreme Court. The custodians of the records are to make them available to satisfy this right. Alongside appealing disputes emanating from trial courts decisions, the Arkansas Supreme Court also makes rules to regulate the practice of law in the state. Interested persons can use the system to search for cases with either the name of the parties or the case number. It does not include persons who merely hold the record for storage, safekeeping, or data processing for another. The Internal CourtConnect portal allows Contexte users to find information on cases using their Contexte security if they know the name of a person on the case or the Case ID. ARKANSAS.STATERECORDS.ORG IS A PRIVATELY OWNED WEBSITE THAT IS NOT The Arkansas Supreme Court is not mandated to review every decision of the Court of Appeals. For a divorce to happen in Arkansas, one person must have lived in the state for at least 60 days before the person can file for it. Visit the Arkansas CourtConnect website; Go to the first icon (search by party name, business name, or case type) Accept the terms and . Public records may be available in different forms. For Public. The clerk of the courts provides payroll services for both courts and acts as the custodian of their records. Examples of Arkansas Public Records. Records may be provided at no charge or at a reduced charge if the custodian determines that the purpose of the request is noncommercial. A divorce record in Arkansas is a collection of papers outlining the divorce process. Administrative Office of the Courts 625 Marshall Street Little Rock, AR 72201. S25-19-101 et seq. Any person who is refused a public records request may appeal the refusal to the Pulaski County Circuit Court or the Circuit Court in the requesters residential county. Arkansas judgment records describe a court's decision on the facts of a criminal or civil case filed in its jurisdiction. Criminal Records. Similarly, to obtain certified copies of a vital record, the requester must provide a written and notarized consent form from the record holder, as well as the standard processing fee for certified copies. Section 25-19-103 of the Arkansas FOIA, enacted on February 14, 1967, stipulated that every documented record from the discharge of official duties supported by public funds are public records. Pulaski County provides county court records through the Pulaski County Clerk. Currently, Arkansas has 77 Local District Courts with 178 departments and are served by 90 part-time judges. Disputes over properties with value not exceeding $5,000 are tried as small claims. Typically, remarriage and name changes necessitate this document. What information is available in Internal CourtConnect? 2023 CourtCaseFinder.com - All Rights Reserved. On this platform, you can find the decisions of the Arkansas Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. Find out how to search our CourtConnect system most easily by name or case type. However, federal law has ruled that such a limitation is unlawful. Similarly, only law enforcement agencies or certified consumer reporting agencies can provide criminal background checks, consumer reports or credit checks. Search by Person Name, Business Name or Case Type, Search for Judgments Against a Person or Business. District Courts are the courts most limited in their jurisdictions, scope, and abilities. Five of them were split to bring the Circuit Courts in Arkansas to 28. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the introduction of technology for remote trials and to reduce in-court hearings to the barest minimum. In-person requests should be made during court hours at the court that determined the case. In Arkansas, tax and judgment liens are valid for ten years from the filing date, whereas mechanic's liens expire after 15 months. A representative of a convicted felon who is not an attorney will also be denied a public record request. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide: While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources. A requester is not expected to explain the purpose of requesting a public record, and the requester has grounds to petition the agency if their request for a record is denied. The cost of public records in Arkansas is the actual cost for making the record available, pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated 25-19-105(c)(3A). The State District Courts can have their jurisdictions over two or more counties, while the Local District Courts are limited to cities or counties. Arkansas Bankruptcy Records provide accounting information on individuals and businesses who have filed at the bankruptcy court because they are unable to meet their financial obligations to creditors. Personnel record that would constitute a violation of privacy if disclosed. 4815 West Markham Street If you are interested in searching other types of public records in Arkansas you can view our court records search guide as well. Inquiry/Payment for Tax and Trash. Arkansas public records include, but are not limited to: Criminal records; Birth certificates (100 years after filing date) Death certificates (50 years after filing date) Marriage records (100 years after filing date) A mortgage lien comes from utilizing property to secure a loan. Any reason for a denial of access to records should be stated clearly. Some district courts provide case information through CourtConnect. These include: Arkansas Code Annotated 16-90-1405 allows the sealing of misdemeanours 60 days after all conditions and court orders pertaining to the conviction have been fulfilled. CourtCaseFinder.com is not a "consumer reporting agency" as defined by Fair Credit Reporting Act. Arkansas Code Annotated 25-19-105(b)(4). Benton County also allows Benton County public records search through the County Clerk. There are 121 judges that preside over Circuit Court cases in their assigned and elected judicial circuits. Arkansas Circuit Courts are courts of general jurisdictions. Little Rock Ar 72201 Skip to Main Content. The requester would need to disclose the purpose of the request for the custodian to ascertain that it is a noncommercial purpose in the interest of the public. You can use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) to get these records online for a fee. If neither option can be reasonably carried out, an overnight mail should be sent to the requesters last known address. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for comprehensive searches. There may be an application by someone close to the appeal, it can happen upon a decision certification by the appeals court, or if a determination is made that the Supreme Court should have heard the case initially. This implies that certain records created or maintained by certain government departments are not accessible to the public. Note that unclear public record requests may also be declined by the custodians. Phone: (501) 340-6170 For example, the Arkansas Department of Public Safety maintains sex offender registration and information in the state. Director Marty Sullivan 501-682-9400. Anyone wishing to view documents on the Courts Electronic Case Filing (ECF) System must have an account on the PACER system. When filed against a debtor's property, a lien requires the debtor to repay a debt to clear the title of their property. Go to the Arkansas CourtConnect portal. The filing fee for a small claims case varies between $30 and $65. (501) 618-8000, Pulaski County Assessor's Office A good example of a civil case number in Arkansas is CV-22-100, which indicates the 100th civil case filed in a court in 2022. Furthermore, other laws outside the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act may exempt records from disclosure to the general public. Oral agreements have a limit of three years, and cases involving damages to personal properties must be filed within three years. part of the names of persons or businesses, First Circuit: Cross County, Lee County, Monroe County, Phillips County, St. Francis County, and Woodruff County, Second Circuit: Clay County, Craighead County, Crittenden County, Greene County, Mississippi County, and Poinsett County, Third Circuit Jackson County, Lawrence County, Randolph County, and Sharp County, Fourth Circuit: Madison County and Washington County, Fifth Circuit: Franklin County, Johnson County, and Pope County, Sixth Circuit: Perry County and Pulaski County, Seventh Circuit: Grant County and Hot Spring County, Eighth Circuit North: Hempstead County and Nevada County, Eighth Circuit South: Lafayette County and Miller County, Ninth Circuit West: Howard County, Little River County, Pike County, and Sevier County, Tenth Circuit Ashley County, Bradley County, Chicot County, Desha County, and Drew County, Eleventh Circuit West: Jefferson County and Lincoln County, Thirteenth Circuit: Calhoun County, Cleveland County, Columbia County, Dallas County, Ouachita County, and Union County, Fourteenth Circuit: Baxter County, Boone County, Marion County, and Newton County, Fifteenth Circuit: Conway County, Logan County, Scott County, and Yell County, Sixteenth Circuit: Cleburne County, Fulton County, Independence County, Izard County, and Stone County, Seventeenth Circuit: Prairie County and White County, Eighteenth Circuit West: Montgomery County and Polk County, Twentieth Circuit: Faulkner County, Searcy County, and Van Buren County. You can find forms on the Arkansas courts website, like the guardian's bond and petition for will probate. Arkansas Court Automation Programs (ACAP) provides technological support to the state's courts, makes court information available to the public, and develops online, court-related services. This will provide a basic way to see filings, vents and other public and criminal data. We are actively working on resolving these issues. The Comprehensive Criminal Records Sealing Act of 2013 allows individuals to seal their criminal records. According to Arkansas Code 18-49-103, if the borrower fails on the loan, the lender can lawfully seize the collateral as repayment. The Arkansas Court of Appeals, formed in 1979 by state law, aims to reduce the Supreme Court's responsibility. Mechanic's lien covers unpaid labor and material expenditures associated with building projects. 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