Arkansas

Arkansas was a part of acquired land during the Louisiana Purchase and in 1819 became a separate territory and a state in 1836. Arkansas used to be a slave state and is one of the nine states that pledged their loyalty to the Confederate States of America. Modern times see Arkansas ranking 27th in size among the states and the smallest to be found along the western part of the Mississippi River.

The state derived its name from the indigenous people that inhabited the area, the Quapaws. It was a corruption of the word ‘akansea’ which the Illinois, another indigenous community, called the Quapaws. Arkansas received its share of national prominence in 1957, when integration in Little Rock Central High School had to be aided with federal troops.

Arkansas has a total of 75 counties, with 10 of them having two county seats. Each county seat has its own county clerk who holds land, probate, and other vital records. Some counties may have two courthouses, and while court records can be held by county clerks, most of them can be found at the office of the circuit court clerk. Most of the counties do not offer online services, and any information such as probates or land records has to go through the office of the county judge.

The Supreme Court, with six associate justices and a chief justice, is the highest judicial court in Arkansas. These justices hold elected posts for a maximum of 8 years, but in staggered terms. In 1978, an appeals court was established, manned by 12 justices who are elected and allowed a maximum term of 8 years. The infamous prisons of Arkansas were returned to state authority in 1982, after being held under the jurisdiction of the federal government for more than 10 years.

Offender Search Web Page

The purpose and specifics of the Offender Search Web Page in each state varies. Read the disclosures carefully. Updates to the database could be biweekly, monthly and daily depending on the states Corrections Department schedule. Some searches show offenders incarcerated in the entire prison system including county jails and some only state prisons. Sometimes historical offender data is available and sometimes only current inmate records are listed. Youth and adult offenders are sometimes located on separate search portals.

State Offender Search: https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/index.php

Court Clerk