Pulaski County Family Court Records

Pulaski County family court records are kept by the Circuit Clerk in Little Rock and cover every domestic relations and juvenile case filed in Arkansas's most populous county. These records include divorce filings, custody orders, child support judgments, paternity actions, domestic abuse protective orders, and juvenile proceedings. You can search many Pulaski County family court records online through the statewide Search ARCourts portal or contact the Circuit Clerk's office directly to request copies and certified documents.

Pulaski County Circuit Clerk

The Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk is the official keeper of all family court records in the county. Circuit/County Clerk Terri Hollingsworth oversees a large office that serves as administrative support for 17 Circuit Court judges and handles everything from voter registration to real estate recording to court records management. The main office is at 401 West Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201. You can reach the clerk at 501.340.8500 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

The County Records Department within the clerk's office is the repository for all Pulaski County court documents. Staff process requests for copies of court files from attorneys, parties, and members of the public. You can email the records department at courtrecords@pulaskiclerk.com or call (501) 340-8412 for records-specific questions. A separate line at (501) 340-8766 handles general court records inquiries. The department also maintains the Central Child Support Registry and processes child support payment records.

The Pulaski County Circuit Clerk office at 401 West Markham in Little Rock maintains all family court records for the county, including divorce filings, custody orders, child support dockets, and domestic abuse protective order filings.

All Arkansas court documents, including civil, probate, criminal, and domestic relations records like divorces, are public records that anyone can search. The County Records Department provides copies of court documents to courts and the public. Certified copies cost $5.00 and can be picked up in person or mailed through the US Postal Service. They cannot be emailed. Standard page copies are $0.25 per page. If the estimated fee for a records request exceeds $25.00, the clerk may require full payment before the request is processed.

Note: Pulaski County Circuit Court was the first county in Arkansas to participate in the eFlex electronic filing pilot program for civil, domestic relations, and probate cases.

Search Pulaski County Family Court Records Online

The primary tool for searching Pulaski County family court records online is the statewide Search ARCourts portal. The portal lets you search by party name, business name, case number, case type, filing date, attorney name, or judge name. Results show the parties involved, the presiding judge, filings in the case, hearing dates, and judgments. Access is free and requires no account or login. Pulaski County is fully integrated into the Contexte Case Management System, so you can expect detailed case information.

For electronic filing, attorneys and authorized parties use the eFlex system at eflex.arcourts.gov. Pulaski County was part of the original eFlex pilot and handles civil, domestic relations, and probate filings electronically. The eFlex system accepts payment through the Information Network of Arkansas portal using electronic checks, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. An additional $20 electronic filing fee applies to new cases initiated through eFlex under Administrative Order 21. For questions about eFlex access, email courts.efiling@arcourts.gov.

Pulaski County also has its own online records search through the clerk's website at pulaskiclerk.com. The site lets you look up court cases, search real estate records, and access marriage license records. The clerk's site provides a convenient starting point if you know you need Pulaski County-specific records rather than a statewide search.

Family Court Case Types in Pulaski County

Pulaski County Circuit Court handles family law matters through its Domestic Relations division. Case types filed here include divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, annulment, legal separation, domestic abuse protective orders, and contempt proceedings. The Domestic Relations division also handles modifications to existing orders when circumstances change. Under Arkansas Code § 9-12-301, divorce cases are filed in the county where one or both parties reside. Under § 9-13-101, child custody determinations are made based on the best interest of the child, with a presumption favoring joint custody.

The Juvenile division handles a separate category of family-related cases. Dependency-neglect cases, Families in Need of Services (FINS) matters, and juvenile delinquency proceedings are filed here. Juvenile records are confidential under Arkansas Code § 9-27-309 and are not available through the public search portal. If you need access to juvenile records, you will need to contact the clerk's office and explain your legal basis for the request.

The Probate division at the Circuit Clerk's office handles guardianships, estates, and adoptions. Adoption records are sealed under § 9-9-217 and cannot be accessed without a court order. Guardianship records are generally public. If you need a record from a specific division, it helps to know which type you are searching for before you contact the clerk.

Pulaski County also has a District Court that handles misdemeanors, traffic violations, and civil matters under $25,000. The Pulaski County District Court is located at 3001 W. Roosevelt Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204. The phone is 501-340-6824, and hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. District Court records are separate from Circuit Court family court records.

The Pulaski County District Court on Roosevelt Road in Little Rock handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic matters, and small civil disputes, while the Circuit Court at the main courthouse handles all Pulaski County family court cases including divorce, custody, and child support.

Record Access, Fees, and Copies

Arkansas Code § 16-10-105 requires that all court sittings be public. Administrative Order 19, adopted by the Arkansas Supreme Court in 2007, governs access to court records and promotes accessibility. Under these rules, you can inspect most Pulaski County family court records without being a party to the case and without stating a reason. Certain records are restricted, including sealed cases, expunged records, juvenile records, and adoption files.

To get copies of Pulaski County family court records, you can visit the County Records Department in person at 401 West Markham Street, Little Rock. Bring as much case information as you can: the names of the parties, the case number if you have it, and the approximate year the case was filed. Staff can search the docket and pull documents for you. Copies are $0.25 per page for standard documents. Certified copies are $5.00 for the first page plus $0.50 for each additional page. Certified copies must be picked up or mailed, not emailed.

Mail-in requests are also accepted. Send a written request with case information, your name and mailing address, and a check or money order for the estimated copy fee. The clerk may contact you if the actual cost differs. For Arkansas Freedom of Information Act requests related to court administrative records (not case records), the Arkansas FOIA under § 25-19-101 provides a framework, though most court records are governed by Administrative Order 19 rather than FOIA.

Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources

Pulaski County is served by two major legal aid organizations. The Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS) is headquartered in Little Rock and provides free civil legal services to low-income Arkansans in 44 of the 75 counties. Family law matters including divorce, custody, and domestic abuse cases are among the services CALS handles. CALS has offices throughout central Arkansas and can assist Pulaski County residents with family court proceedings.

The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation coordinates legal aid statewide and manages the AR Courthouse Kiosk program. Kiosks placed in courthouses let self-represented parties access court records, find forms, and connect with legal aid organizations. If you need to file a family court case on your own, the courthouse kiosk is a good place to start. The Arkansas Judiciary's self-help resources page also lists guides and forms for domestic relations matters.

Note: Court clerks in Pulaski County, like all Arkansas clerks, cannot give legal advice or fill out forms for you. They can tell you what forms to file and where to file them, but any legal strategy questions must go to an attorney or legal aid organization.

Cities in Pulaski County

Pulaski County is the most populous county in Arkansas. All cities and communities in Pulaski County file family court cases with the Pulaski County Circuit Clerk at the Little Rock courthouse. There is no separate family court for any city. The following cities in Pulaski County have dedicated pages with more local information:

Nearby Counties

Pulaski County borders several other counties in central Arkansas. If the case you need was filed in an adjacent county, follow these links to find the right Circuit Clerk.