Clay County Family Court Records Search

Clay County family court records cover divorce, custody, child support, and other domestic relations cases filed with the Circuit Clerk across two courthouse locations in Piggott and Corning. The 3rd Judicial Circuit serves this county, and records are available online through the Arkansas CourtConnect portal.

Circuit Clerk Offices

Clay County has two courthouse locations, which is one of the more unusual features of this northeast Arkansas county. The eastern district courthouse is in Piggott at 151 South 2nd Street, Piggott, AR 72454, with a phone number of (870) 598-2524. The western district courthouse is in Corning at 800 SW 2nd Street, Corning, AR 72422, at (870) 857-3271.

The Circuit Clerk for Clay County has historically been listed as Janet Kilbreath or Angela Self. Contact either courthouse to confirm current clerk information. Both locations handle records for civil, criminal, domestic relations, probate, and juvenile cases. The clerk also serves as ex-officio county recorder for land records in the county.

Cases filed in Clay County are assigned to the courthouse based on which side of the county the parties are in. If you are not sure which courthouse handled a particular case, searching CourtConnect by name will pull records from both locations. District courts in both Piggott and Corning handle misdemeanors, traffic matters, and preliminary hearings, but family law cases go through the Circuit Court.

The Circuit Court in Clay County has general jurisdiction over civil matters over $25,000, felony criminal cases, domestic relations, probate, and appeals from district courts. If you need a record from a family law case, you need the Circuit Court records, not the District Court.

The Arkansas CourtConnect system provides partial online access to Clay County Circuit Court records including domestic relations filings.

Searching Clay County Records

Clay County circuit court records are available online through the Arkansas CourtConnect system at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. This free portal covers domestic relations, civil, and criminal cases. Search by party name or case number to find records from either the Piggott or Corning courthouse.

Under Administrative Order 8, all Arkansas circuit courts submit case data to CourtConnect. Clay County provides partial case information through the system. Some records may be more complete when accessed in person at one of the two courthouses. If you find a record online but need the full document, contact the appropriate courthouse to get a copy.

Administrative Order 19 governs the public's right to access court records. Most circuit court records in Clay County are open to the public. Exceptions include juvenile records, adoption files, and some financial details in domestic relations cases. These restricted categories will not appear in CourtConnect searches.

For older cases that predate digital recordkeeping, you will need to visit one of the Clay County courthouses in person. Staff at either location can help you identify which records exist and whether they are available for inspection. Written requests may be needed for extensive searches.

Family Court Case Types

Clay County Circuit Court handles all domestic relations matters under the 3rd Judicial Circuit. Divorce cases are filed under Arkansas Code Annotated § 9-12-301. The most common approach in current filings is the eighteen-month separation ground, which requires no finding of fault. Other grounds including adultery, physical abuse, habitual drunkenness, and general indignities are also recognized under Arkansas law.

Child custody cases are governed by § 9-13-101. The court applies the best interest of the child standard. Judges consider each parent's relationship with the child, the stability of each home, the parents' ability to cooperate, and any history of domestic violence or substance abuse. Both sole custody and joint custody arrangements are possible. The court can also craft creative visitation schedules based on the family's situation.

Child support is calculated under § 9-14-107 using the income shares model. Arkansas combines both parents' gross incomes and determines a total support obligation. This total is split proportionally based on each parent's share of the combined income. Health insurance costs and work-related childcare expenses can be added to the base support amount. The clerk's office in Piggott or Corning handles child support payment records for Clay County cases.

Juvenile cases including delinquency and dependency-neglect matters are filed under § 9-27-309. All juvenile records are sealed. Adoption cases are confidential under § 9-9-217. Neither type of record is accessible to the public without a court order. Other case types include paternity establishment, domestic violence protective orders, guardianship petitions, and post-decree modifications.

Fees and Copy Costs

New domestic relations filings in Clay County cost $165.00. This is the standard state fee. Reopening a case is $50.00. Summons service fees run $2.50 per party. These fees apply at both the Piggott and Corning courthouses.

Standard copies are $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document. For mail requests, send a self-addressed stamped envelope and prepaid payment to the courthouse that handled your case. Confirm current fees by calling either location before submitting a request.

Online record searches through CourtConnect are free. No login is needed for basic case lookups. Fees apply only when you request physical or certified copies from the clerk's office.

Legal Help

Low-income residents of Clay County can apply for free legal help through the Center for Arkansas Legal Services at arjustice.org. CALS provides civil legal assistance for divorce, custody, support, and protective order cases.

The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation lists legal aid programs serving northeast Arkansas at arkansasjustice.org. Resources serving the Clay County area may be found through this directory.

The Arkansas Judiciary offers self-help court resources at arcourts.gov/directories/resources. Court forms, procedural guides, and links to legal aid offices are available there. Staff at the Clay County courthouses can tell you which forms to use but cannot provide legal advice.

Nearby Counties

Clay County is in the far northeastern corner of Arkansas in the 3rd Judicial Circuit. The following counties are in the surrounding region.