St. Francis County Family Court Records

St. Francis County family court records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk in Forrest City and cover all domestic relations and juvenile cases filed in this east Arkansas county. These records include divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, and domestic abuse protective order filings. The St. Francis County Circuit Clerk is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit of Arkansas. You can search many St. Francis County family court records at no cost through the statewide Search ARCourts portal or by contacting the clerk at 313 S Izard St, Suite 8, Forrest City.

St. Francis County Circuit Clerk

The St. Francis County Circuit Clerk is the custodian of all family court records in Forrest City. The clerk's office is at 313 S Izard St, Suite 8, Forrest City, AR 72335 (mailing: PO Box 1775, Forrest City, AR 72335). The clerk can be reached at (870) 261-1715 or by email at Alan.smith@sfcircuit.com. The office is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit of Arkansas and maintains records for civil, criminal, domestic relations, and probate cases. All family court records not sealed or restricted by court order are available to the public under Arkansas Code § 16-10-105.

The Circuit Clerk handles all administrative functions for the court: filing and processing documents, maintaining records of all proceedings, preparing dockets, issuing summons and subpoenas, and attending court sessions. The clerk also records deeds and other property instruments as ex-officio county recorder. Standard copy fees in St. Francis County are $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $5.00. Recording fees are $15.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page. Transfer tax on recorded instruments is $3.30 per $1,000 of consideration.

The St. Francis County records portal at arcountydata.com provides free online property assessment and ownership searches for the county, which can be a useful complement to court record searches when looking up land records or related instruments.

The St. Francis County CourtConnect portal provides free public access to family court records for the county, including domestic relations cases, custody filings, and child support dockets searchable by party name or case number.

Online Search for St. Francis County Family Court Records

The statewide Search ARCourts portal at caseinfo.arcourts.gov covers St. Francis County Circuit Court. Under Administrative Order 8, all circuit courts in Arkansas must report case statistical information through the Search ARCourts system. Search by party name, case number, case type, filing date, attorney name, or judge name. The portal returns the parties, the judge, docket filings, hearing dates, and judgments. No account is required and access is free.

For electronic filing, attorneys and authorized filers use the statewide eFlex system at eflex.arcourts.gov. Fees for electronic filings are paid through the Information Network of Arkansas portal. A $20 electronic filing fee applies to new cases under Administrative Order 21. For questions, email courts.efiling@arcourts.gov or call the ACAP helpline at (866) 823-5778.

Family Court Cases in St. Francis County

The Domestic Relations division of St. Francis County Circuit Court handles divorce, legal separation, child custody and visitation, child support, paternity, and domestic abuse protective orders. Under Arkansas Code § 9-12-301, a divorce must be filed in the county where one or both spouses reside. Custody determinations follow § 9-13-101, which presumes joint custody serves the child's best interest. Child support modifications require a material change in circumstances under § 9-14-107.

Juvenile cases in St. Francis County are confidential under Arkansas Code § 9-27-309 and are not searchable through the public portal. Adoption records are sealed under § 9-9-217. Administrative Order 19 defines court records and sets public access policy. Records that are sealed, expunged, or specifically restricted by court order are not available through the public portal or in response to general records requests.

Fees and Copies

New domestic relations and civil case filings in St. Francis County cost $165.00. Standard copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. Recording fees for land instruments are $15.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page. Mail requests should include party names, case information, your return address, and a prepaid check or money order. If the estimated fee exceeds $25.00, the clerk may require payment in full before processing the request under § 25-19-105.

Legal Help in St. Francis County

Legal Aid of Arkansas serves 31 counties including St. Francis County and provides free civil legal services to income-eligible residents in family law matters. The Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS) may also have resources for St. Francis County residents. The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation manages the AR Courthouse Kiosk program statewide. The Arkansas Judiciary resources directory provides self-help guides and forms for domestic relations cases.

Nearby Counties

St. Francis County is in east Arkansas. If your case was filed in a neighboring county, use these links to find that clerk.