Arkansas
Arkansas Court Records: How to Search, and Why This Guide Stays General
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 10, 2026). · 1 primary source cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
The Arkansas Judiciary provides an online case-information search reachable from arcourts.gov. Beyond that basic fact, this guide stays deliberately general: the underlying portal pages did not load reliably enough during research to confirm exact coverage, fees, or how current the data is, and this article will not print specifics it cannot stand behind.
What can be confirmed, directly from an Arkansas legal-aid source, is how the state's own record-sealing law is structured, which is covered below.
Information last verified on 2026-08-10. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
This guide is part of a broader look at court records by state. For the general mechanics of federal versus state versus county searches, see how to look up court records and are court records public.
Searching an Arkansas Court Record
Arkansas's court system provides an online case-information search accessible from arcourts.gov. This guide intentionally does not state a specific coverage list, fee, or update frequency for that tool, because the underlying pages could not be reliably confirmed from a primary source in this research session. Rather than guess, the safer and more accurate route for a specific case is to identify the court where it was or would have been filed, generally the circuit court for the relevant county, and contact that court's clerk directly. Search by party name or case number is the general pattern used by most state court case-lookup tools, but confirm the exact fields and any cost with the specific court before relying on a result.
Arkansas's General Presumption of Openness
Arkansas starts from a strong presumption that court proceedings and records are public. Arkansas Code § 16-10-105 states that the sittings of every court shall be public, and every person may freely attend the sittings of every court, and Arkansas Rule of Civil Procedure 77(b) requires that all trials and hearings be public except as otherwise provided by law. The Arkansas Supreme Court has recognized this presumption as rooted in common law, though it is not absolute, a party seeking to close a proceeding or seal a record has to meet a specific legal test.
Certified Copies
A certified copy of an Arkansas court document comes from the clerk of the circuit court where the case was filed. Fees are set locally; this guide does not publish a statewide figure because none was confirmed from a primary source.
Sealing Your Record: Arkansas's Own Terminology
Arkansas's statutory term is sealing, not expungement, under Ark. Code § 16-90-1401 et seq. Sealing in Arkansas does not destroy the underlying record. Instead, under Ark. Code § 16-90-1413(e), the district or circuit court clerk removes the petitions, orders, docket sheets, and related documents and sequesters them in a separate, confidential holding area inside the clerk's office, and the prosecuting attorney and arresting agency sequester their own copies. The underlying criminal history data stays with the Arkansas Crime Information Center, whose access rules are set by Ark. Code § 12-12-1001 et seq. Ark. Code § 16-90-1416(a) then limits release of a sealed record to a short list of requesters, including the person whose record was sealed, a criminal justice agency for specified purposes, a prosecuting attorney acting for a criminal justice purpose, a court on a showing of good reason, and certain licensing bodies.
Relief is petition-based, not automatic. A petitioner, or their attorney, files the Arkansas Crime Information Center uniform petition, which Ark. Code § 16-90-1403(c)(1) requires before a court may hear the matter, in the district court or circuit court that sentenced them, in the county where the offense was committed. Ark. Code § 16-90-1413(a)(1) allows either court, and because most Arkansas misdemeanors and violations are handled in district court, that is the correct courthouse for many petitioners. The process runs through eligibility verification, the waiting period, court filing, prosecutorial review, and a judicial decision. A separate, related track, relief under the First Offender Act at Ark. Code § 16-93-303, applies to defendants placed on probation without a formal adjudication of guilt who are later discharged without a conviction on their record.
For the specific eligibility rules, waiting periods, and filing steps, see Arkansas expungement laws, which this guide does not duplicate.
Using Arkansas Court Records the Right Way
Any Arkansas court record search should stay focused on a legitimate personal purpose, such as checking your own case or confirming a court date, rather than compiling a background file on someone else. If an Arkansas court record is used to screen a job applicant or a tenant, that use is governed separately by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, a criminal conviction is exempt from the standard seven-year reporting window that applies to most arrests and civil judgments, meaning it can be reported indefinitely unless it has been sealed under Arkansas law. The FTC's 2023 settlement with TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate, over marketing public-records reports for tenant and employee screening without following federal background-check law, is a reminder that a do-it-yourself court records search is not itself an FCRA-compliant screening product.
Related Resources
Court Records by State covers the full 50-state picture. See also How to Look Up Court Records, Are Court Records Public?, Arkansas Expungement Laws, Arkansas Background Check Laws, Arkansas Warrant Search, and Arkansas Public Records Laws.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about searching Arkansas court records and how Arkansas's sealing law is structured. It is not legal advice. Because portal-level details could not be independently confirmed, verify current search options and fees directly with the Arkansas Judiciary or the relevant circuit clerk, and consult a licensed Arkansas attorney for advice about a specific case.
Last updated: 2026-08-10. Portal facts and fees reflect their published status as of August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free way to search Arkansas court records?
The Arkansas Judiciary provides an online case search through arcourts.gov. This guide does not state a specific fee or coverage claim for that tool because it could not be confirmed from a primary source; contact the relevant circuit clerk to confirm details for a specific case.
Does Arkansas use the word sealing or expungement?
Sealing. Arkansas's sealing statute, Ark. Code § 16-90-1401 et seq., uses sealing as its operative term, and the process does not destroy the underlying record.
Is Arkansas record sealing automatic?
No. It is petition-based. A person files the Arkansas Crime Information Center uniform petition in the district court or circuit court that sentenced them, in the county where the offense was committed. Ark. Code § 16-90-1413(a)(1) allows either court, and many misdemeanors are sentenced in district court. The case then goes through eligibility review, a waiting period, and a judicial decision.
How do I get a certified copy of an Arkansas court document?
Contact the clerk of the circuit court where the case was filed. Fees are set locally.
Can I use an Arkansas court record to screen a job applicant or tenant?
Not on its own. A personal case search is not an FCRA-compliant screening product. Employment and tenant screening are separately governed by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Updates
Corrected where an Arkansas sealing petition is filed, since the statute allows the district court or circuit court that sentenced you and most misdemeanors are sentenced in district court, and replaced an incorrect description of sealed records being held in an Administrative Office of the Courts database with the court clerk's sequestered file and the Arkansas Crime Information Center.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated
§ 16-10-105Sittings of courts to be public.In force
The sittings of every court shall be public, and every person may freely attend the sittings of every court.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-02 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at opinions.arcourts.gov
Cited in 5 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2017
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Arkansas courts treat Section 16-10-105 as the general open-courts rule, subject to specific statutory exceptions. Memphis Publishing Co. v. Burnett (1994) declared error in closing voir dire to the public and press. Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Hardy (1994) held a trial court had no authority to seal a final order.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Hardy (Supreme Court of Arkansas 1994, 316 Ark. 119)✓A chancellor sealed the final order in a paternity and child support case; noting the Section 16-10-105 rule that every person may freely attend the sittings of every court, the court held there was no authority to seal a final order and directed that it be unsealed.
- Stephens v. Stephens (Supreme Court of Arkansas 1991, 306 Ark. 59)“…n open trial which, she argues, the state guarantees under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-10-105 (1987). Appellee responds the lower co…”
- Ashley Bancstock Co. v. Meredith (Court of Appeals of Arkansas 2017, 534 S.W.3d 762)✓A company objected when the judge tried a shareholder records dispute in chambers; the court stated that all trials must be conducted in public under Section 16-10-105, but affirmed because a court reporter transcribed the proceeding and no prejudice was shown.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 16-90-1401Title.In forcecited in 3 of our articles
This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Comprehensive Criminal Record Sealing Act of 2013”.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2020-11-06 · Read the full text in our law library
Cited in 6 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2022
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Haile v. Johnston (Supreme Court of Arkansas 2016, 482 S.W.3d 323)“…have his or her prior criminal history information sealed. Ark.Code Ann. §§ 16-90-1401 et seq. One of the practical applicatio…”
- David Pruitt, Individually, and as Alderman-Elect of Ward 1, Position 2 of Beebe, Arkansas v. Jake Smith, Derrek Goff, Mike Robertson, Linda Anthony, Tracy Lightfoot, Lee McLane, and Carla Barnett, in Her Official Capacity as Clerk of White County, Arkansas (Supreme Court of Arkansas 2020, 610 S.W.3d 660)“…rehensive Criminal Record Sealing Act of 2013, codified at Ark. Code Ann. §§ 16-90-1401 et seq. (Repl. 2016 & Supp. 2019).…”
- ADAM G. WEEKS v. JOHN THURSTON, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS ARKANSAS SECRETARY OF STATE; jUDY MILLER; CARA BRYANT, KEITH DECLERK, AND CAROLYN TOWELL, IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITIES AS COMISSIONERS OF THE RANDOLPH COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION; MICHAEL BRADLEY, JUDY VERKLER, AND TOMMY HOLLAND, IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITIES AS COMMISSIONERS OF THE LAWRENCE COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION; LOU ANN CUSHMAN, HOLLY MCLARAN, AND HOMER WILES, IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITIES AS COMMISSIONERS OF THE SHARP COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION; And DAVID DICKSON, ALICE JAMES, AND DONNA GOULD, IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITIES AS COMMISSIONERS OF THE JACKSON COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION (Supreme Court of Arkansas 2020, 2020 Ark. 64)“…prehensive Criminal Record Sealing Act of 2013, codified at Ark. Code Ann. §§ 16-90-1401 et seq. (Repl. 2016 & Supp. 2019).…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Arkansas Background Check Laws (2026 Guide), Arkansas Expungement Laws: How to Seal Your Record (A.C.A. § 16-90-1401)
§ 16-93-303Probation — First time offenders — Procedure.In force
(a)(1)(A)(i) When an accused enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere prior to an adjudication of guilt, the circuit court or district court, in the case of a defendant who previously has not been convicted of a felony, without making a finding of guilt or entering a judgment of guilt and with…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2020-11-06 · Read the full text in our law library
Cited in 57 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State v. Webb (Supreme Court of Arkansas 2008, 373 Ark. 65)“…ch terms and conditions as may be set by the court. Ark. Code Ann. § 16-93-303 (a)(1) (A) (i) (Repl. 2006). Thereafte…”
- Davidson v. State (Supreme Court of Arkansas 2005, 363 Ark. 86)“…effect when he claims that the conviction was expunged, or Ark.Code Ann. § 16-93-303(b)(1)(1987), which was in effect when h…”
- Shelton v. State (Court of Appeals of Arkansas 1994, 44 Ark. App. 156)“…Act 346 of 1975, Ark. Code Ann. § 16-93-301 through 303. Ark. Code Ann. § 16-93-303 (a)(l) (198?) provides: Whenever an a…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
United States Code Title 15
§ 1681cRequirements relating to information contained in consumer reportsIn forcecited in 54 of our articles
Except as authorized under subsection (b), no consumer reporting agency may make any consumer report containing any of the following items of information: Cases under title 11 or under the Bankruptcy Act that, from the date of entry of the order for relief or the date of adjudication, as the case may be, antedate the report by more than 10 years. Civil suits, civil judgments, and records of arrest that, from date of entry, antedate the report by more than seven years or until the governing statute of limitations has expired, whichever is the longer period. Paid tax liens which, from date of payment, antedate the report by more than seven years. Accounts placed for collection or charged to profit and loss which antedate the report by more than seven years. Any other adverse item of information, other than records of convictions of crimes which antedates the report by more than seven years.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 383 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (2017) addressed the FACTA truncation rule in 1681c(g) and affirmed dismissal for lack of Article III standing, treating material risk of harm as a fact question. Edward Seamans v. Temple University (2014) held the seven-year window in 1681c(a)(4) is extended for an education loan only until that loan is repaid.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Katz v. Donna Karan Co. (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2017, 872 F.3d 114)✓A shopper sued two stores whose receipts printed the first six digits of his credit card number; the Second Circuit affirmed dismissal for lack of standing, seeing no clear error in the finding that those digits show only the card issuer, not a material risk of identity theft.
- Edward Seamans v. Temple University (Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2014, 744 F.3d 853)✓A defaulted university loan kept appearing on a borrower's credit reports after he repaid it because the school never reported the delinquency date; the Third Circuit held the Higher Education Act suspends section 1681c(a)(4)'s aging-off rule only until repayment.
- Gonzales v. Arrow Financial Services, LLC (Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2011, 660 F.3d 1055)✓A debt buyer offered to settle health club debts over seven years old, saying that if it was reporting the account the bureaus would be told it was settled; the Ninth Circuit, treating those debts as unreportable under section 1681c(a)(4), called that implication misleading.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record? (2026), Alabama Background Check Laws (2026 Guide), Louisiana Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
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Sources and References
- Arkansas Legal Services Authority, Arkansas Expungement and Record Sealing: Eligibility and Process(arkansaslegalservicesauthority.com)
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Open Courts Compendium, Arkansas(rcfp.org)
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, Requirements relating to information contained in consumer reports(law.cornell.edu)
- Federal Trade Commission, FTC Says TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate Deceived Users About Background Report Accuracy, Violated FCRA(ftc.gov).gov
- Arkansas Department of Public Safety, Arkansas Crime Information Center, Criminal History Sealing Petition and Order Forms(dps.arkansas.gov)