Arkansas Public Records | Court Connect Case Search & County Directory

Understanding the Arkansas Public Record System

In Arkansas, public records are spread across several statewide portals and many different county and city offices. State agencies publish searchable indexes for corrections, courts, unclaimed property, and tax programs, which help residents quickly check whether a name, case number, or property appears in statewide datasets. Official records, however, often remain with the specific court clerk, county office, or agency that created the information.

Official custody usually means the office that can certify a record, update it, or correct errors. Circuit and district courts keep underlying case files, county recorders or clerks keep land records, and county assessors track taxable value. State systems summarize or mirror parts of those records, but they rarely replace the local office. Users needing certified copies or historical files should start here, then move to the county directory for the appropriate custodian.

Accessing Official Arkansas State Resources

Many searches begin with Arkansas government portals that aggregate data from across the state. The Arkansas Judiciary provides public case information through the Search ARCourts portal, which lists parties, filings, hearings, and dispositions for participating courts. The Arkansas Auditor of State operates the statewide Unclaimed Property Search, where individuals and businesses can look for dormant financial assets in their names.

These statewide tools are powerful indexes but they are not complete archives. Images of pleadings, older case files, local traffic and misdemeanor records, and many supporting documents may be missing or available only at the courthouse. Certain records, such as juvenile files or sealed cases, are restricted by court rules and will not appear online at all. Users should treat state portals as a map to where records exist, not as the final source.

Some tax-related services are also centralized. Arkansas property owners can review payment options and online channels through the state’s Property Tax Center, while the Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division explains relief programs on its Property Tax Relief guidance. After using these statewide resources, users often still need to contact the specific county listed on their bill or case for official copies, corrections, or local payment arrangements.

Arkansas Inmate Search and Prison Records

Arkansas prison sentences and long-term custody records are overseen by the Arkansas Department of Corrections, and the guide at Inmate Search explains how to use the state tools effectively. The Division of Correction maintains an online Inmate Search that lets users search by name, ADC number, offense category, county of conviction, and facility. Users can review offense information and basic sentence data but must remember that time calculations and release eligibility can change.

State inmate databases focus on people housed in Arkansas prison facilities, not on short-term county jail populations. Recent arrests, local booking logs, and municipal ordinance violations are usually handled by county sheriffs and city police departments, which may publish their own rosters or require phone or in-person requests. Users trying to locate someone who was just arrested often need to contact the appropriate county jail, which can be identified using the county directory on this page.

Families and friends can manage deposits, messaging, and some visitation services through the Department of Corrections online services portal at DOC Online Services, which links to trust account deposits, phone service funding, e-messaging, and certain video visitation systems. Policies about who may be added to an inmate’s phone or visitation list, how deposits are limited, and how disciplinary actions affect privileges are set by DOC rules and unit-level procedures, so those details must always be confirmed with the facility.

Court Records, Dockets, and Getting Case Files

The Arkansas court system combines statewide appellate courts with county-based circuit and district courts that handle most trial-level matters. The Court Records guide walks through using statewide portals and local clerk offices together. Public appellate case information is available through the Arkansas Judiciary’s Appellate Case Search Portal, while Search ARCourts provides broader access to circuit and some district court data.

Search ARCourts, accessed through the Arkansas Judiciary’s Search ARCourts site, lists parties, judges, charges, basic filings, scheduled hearings, and judgments for participating courts. Navigation tips from the Judiciary at Search ARCourts Navigation Tips explain how to filter by case type, participant, or filing date. Certain records, including sealed matters or records protected under Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order 19, are intentionally omitted from public online access.

Underlying case files, evidence lists, and certified copies are usually held by the clerk of the court where the case was filed. Circuit clerks and district court clerks maintain official dockets and filings, and the Arkansas Supreme Court Clerk’s Office manages records for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals cases. Users who locate a case online and then need certified copies, full file review, or older records should use the county directory to find the appropriate local clerk’s office.

Arkansas Unclaimed Property and Financial Assets

Arkansas treats statewide “property” primarily as unclaimed financial assets held by the Arkansas Auditor of State. The Property Search guide explains how to use the Auditor’s Unclaimed Property Search to look for dormant bank accounts, wages, insurance proceeds, utility deposits, and other funds reported as unclaimed. Search results group exact matches first, then similar names, and the online claim process follows the instructions provided by the Auditor’s office.

After a search, claimants can track progress using the Auditor’s Claim Status Search and learn what documents may be required through the Unclaimed Property FAQs. The Auditor’s guidance explains who can file claims (owners, estates, or lawful heirs), how name changes and deceased owners are handled, and why exact dollar amounts typically appear only after a claim is initiated. Processing times and documentation requirements vary with the type and value of the property.

Real estate ownership, land titles, and deed images are not managed through unclaimed property tools. Those records are kept locally by county offices such as the Recorder, Register of Deeds, or a combined circuit clerk and recorder, depending on county structure. Valuation and assessment responsibilities may fall to an Assessor, Property Appraiser, Auditor, Tax Commissioner, or Assessor-Collector. Users researching who owns a parcel or needing a copy of a deed should locate the correct county office using the directory below.

Arkansas Property Tax Assessment and Valuation

Arkansas property tax rules are developed and overseen at the state level, primarily by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and its Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division. The overview at Property Tax connects users to state explanations such as DFA’s Property Tax Relief page, which describes programs like the Homestead Tax Credit and Age 65 or Disabled Homeowner Property Tax Relief. These programs may reduce taxable value or provide credits for qualifying homeowners under Arkansas law.

Assessment Coordination Division materials explain how real property is valued, how reappraisal cycles work, and how caps under Amendment 79 can limit annual increases in taxable assessed value for homesteads and other real property. The state also provides online payment pathways such as DFA’s Pay Your Personal Property Taxes Online service and the statewide Property Tax Center, which link to local payment options where available.

Property tax bills, payment plans, and receipts are administered locally, usually by county Treasurers, Tax Collectors, or combined Assessor-Collector offices, while county assessors determine the assessed value used to calculate the tax. Deadlines, penalty structures, and payment methods can vary by county and may change over time. Users who learn about state-level credits or valuation rules should confirm specific amounts and due dates with the appropriate county office listed in the directory.