Saline County Family Court Records

Saline County family court records are kept by the Circuit Clerk in Benton and cover all domestic relations and juvenile cases filed in this central Arkansas county. The records include divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, domestic abuse protective orders, and related family law proceedings. The Saline County Circuit Clerk's office was one of the early adopters of online court record access in Arkansas. You can search Saline County family court records at no cost through the statewide Search ARCourts portal or directly through the clerk's online records system.

Saline County Circuit Clerk

The Saline County Circuit Clerk is the official custodian of all family court records in the county. Circuit Clerk Dennis Milligan leads an office that focuses on providing exceptional service and promoting excellence in judicial administration. The main office is at 200 N Main St, Room 113, Benton, Arkansas 72015. For general clerk inquiries, call (501) 303-5615. For recording and passport services, call (501) 303-5607. For child support-related questions, call the child support line at (501) 303-5669. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday.

The Saline County Circuit Clerk serves as clerk of the circuit and juvenile courts and as ex-officio county recorder. The clerk files and processes all court documents for civil, domestic relations, criminal, and juvenile cases. The office also maintains a child support payment registry and manages land records in its recorder capacity. Saline County has a dedicated child support phone line, which reflects how common child support modification requests are in the county's family court caseload.

The Saline County Circuit Clerk at 200 N Main St in Benton maintains all domestic relations and family court records for the county, including divorce filings, custody orders, child support dockets, and orders of protection.

Online Access to Saline County Family Court Records

Saline County was the 9th county in Arkansas to put public court records on the internet, so online access has been available here for some time. You can search Saline County court records online through the clerk's own system at salinecounty.org and through the statewide Search ARCourts portal. Both are free. The statewide portal returns party names, the assigned judge, docket filings, hearing dates, and judgments. The county-specific portal may provide additional local detail.

The statewide Search ARCourts portal at caseinfo.arcourts.gov covers Saline County with full case information. You can search by party name, case number, filing date, case type, attorney, or judge. Saline County participates in the Contexte Case Management System, so records are detailed and current. No account is needed.

For attorneys and authorized filers, the eFlex electronic filing system is available for submitting court documents. Online filing uses the Information Network of Arkansas payment portal and accepts electronic checks, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. New cases initiated through eFlex incur an additional $20 electronic filing fee under Administrative Order 21.

Family Court Cases in Saline County

Saline County Circuit Court handles all family law matters in the Domestic Relations division. Cases include divorce, legal separation, child custody and visitation, child support, paternity, domestic abuse, and contempt proceedings. Divorce filings follow Arkansas Code § 9-12-301, which requires the case to be filed in the county where one or both parties live. Custody decisions use the best interest standard under § 9-13-101, with a presumption favoring joint custody. Child support modifications are governed by § 9-14-107.

The Juvenile division in Saline County handles dependency-neglect, FINS, and juvenile delinquency cases. Juvenile records are confidential under § 9-27-309. Adoption records are sealed under § 9-9-217. These records are not accessible through the public online portal. If you need access to sealed or juvenile records, contact the clerk and explain your legal basis for the request.

Note: The Saline County clerk's child support phone line at (501) 303-5669 is specifically for questions about child support payment records, balances, and payment history. Use this line rather than the main number if your question relates to child support.

Fees and Getting Copies

New case filings in Saline County Circuit Court cost $165.00 for domestic relations matters. Standard copy fees are $0.25 to $0.50 per page for uncertified copies. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document. For large records requests where the estimated fee exceeds $25.00, the clerk may require payment in full before processing the request under Arkansas Code § 25-19-105.

You can request copies in person at 200 N Main St, Room 113, Benton, or submit a written mail request. Include the party names, case number if you have it, approximate year the case was filed, your return mailing address, and a prepaid check or money order. Certified copies must be picked up or mailed and cannot be sent by email.

Legal Help in Saline County

The Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS) provides free civil legal aid to income-eligible Saline County residents in family law matters including divorce, custody, and domestic violence cases. CALS is headquartered in Little Rock and has resources for clients throughout central Arkansas including Saline County. Contact CALS to find out if you qualify for free legal representation or advice.

The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation maintains the AR Courthouse Kiosk program and provides self-help tools to courts statewide. The Arkansas Judiciary resources directory lists legal aid organizations, forms, and guides for people handling Saline County family court cases on their own.

Cities in Saline County

All communities in Saline County file family court cases with the Saline County Circuit Clerk in Benton. The following Saline County cities have dedicated pages:

Nearby Counties

Saline County is south of Pulaski County in central Arkansas. If your case was filed in a nearby county, use these links to find the right clerk.