Search Bentonville Divorce Decrees

Bentonville divorce decree records are maintained by the Benton County Circuit Clerk, located right in Bentonville since the city is the county seat of Benton County. All domestic relations case files, certified copies, and court documents for the county are handled at this office. This page covers how to find, request, and use divorce decree records for Bentonville and Benton County residents.

Benton County Circuit Clerk in Bentonville

The Benton County Circuit Clerk is at 102 NE A Street, Bentonville, AR 72712. The phone is (479) 271-1015. Because Bentonville is the county seat, this is the primary filing location for all Benton County divorce cases, including those for residents throughout the county. The Circuit Clerk serves as ex-officio County Recorder and maintains all Circuit Court records for the county.

Services available through the Benton County Circuit Clerk include court docket case searches, electronic filing (e-Recording) for licensed attorneys, a Process Server Active List, and a Property Fraud Alert program. The office maintains the official record of every divorce case filed in Benton County, from the initial petition through the final decree and any post-judgment orders.

Bentonville's city government does not hold divorce records. The city has no role in filing, storing, or providing divorce decrees. Any request for a divorce decree or case file must go to the Benton County Circuit Clerk at 102 NE A Street. This is true for Bentonville residents and for all other Benton County residents who file their cases at this same courthouse.

Note: E-Recording is available for licensed attorneys. Pro se filers must submit paperwork in person or by mail at the Bentonville courthouse.

Getting Copies of Bentonville Divorce Decrees

Certified copies of Bentonville divorce decrees are available from the Benton County Circuit Clerk. Certified copies cost $5.00 each. Plain page copies carry a lower per-page fee. You can request copies in person at 102 NE A Street or by mail. Bring valid photo ID for in-person requests and be ready to pay the applicable fee at the time of your visit.

For mail requests, include a written letter with the full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, and the case number if you have it. Include a check or money order payable to the Benton County Circuit Clerk and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail to: Benton County Circuit Clerk, 102 NE A Street, Bentonville, AR 72712.

Processing time varies based on case volume. Recent cases in the electronic system can often be retrieved within a day or two. Older cases may take longer. Call (479) 271-1015 before sending a time-sensitive request to ask about current turnaround times and whether the specific record you need is in the active or archived system.

Search Bentonville Divorce Decrees Online

The free Arkansas Judiciary case search tool, CourtConnect, covers Benton County divorce cases. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney. The tool shows case status, filing dates, and party names without displaying the full documents. Use it to confirm a case exists and get the case number before contacting the clerk at (479) 271-1015.

CourtConnect is available at any time and is free to use. It covers all Arkansas Circuit Courts, including Benton County. Cases filed before the county's electronic records cutoff may not appear in the system. For older Bentonville divorce decrees not in CourtConnect, contact the Circuit Clerk directly for information on paper record retrieval.

Arkansas court records are generally public under Arkansas FOIA § 25-19-105. Some personal identifiers including Social Security numbers may be redacted in copies provided to the public. If a case does not appear in CourtConnect, it may be sealed, filed before digital records began, or require a direct in-person search at the courthouse.

The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, Section 25-19-105, is the primary state law governing public access to court records, including divorce decrees maintained by the Benton County Circuit Clerk.

Benton County Clerk Services

The Benton County Clerk is a separate office from the Circuit Clerk, located at 215 East Central Avenue, Bentonville, AR 72712, phone (479) 271-1013. The County Clerk handles different types of records, including marriage licenses, county ordinances, and voter registration. If you are researching a case that involves both divorce and property or probate records, knowing the difference between these two offices saves time.

For divorce decree records specifically, always start with the Circuit Clerk at 102 NE A Street, not the County Clerk at 215 East Central Avenue. The County Clerk will not have divorce case files. Both offices are in Bentonville, and their records sometimes overlap in the context of complex family law matters, but the Circuit Clerk is the sole custodian of actual divorce decrees and court orders.

Filing for Divorce in Bentonville

Bentonville residents file for divorce at the Benton County Circuit Clerk at 102 NE A Street. At least one spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before filing. The court cannot issue a final decree until one party has been a Benton County resident for 90 days. Arkansas allows both fault and no-fault grounds for divorce.

Common fault grounds include general indignities, adultery, cruelty, habitual drunkenness, and felony conviction with imprisonment. No-fault divorce requires 18 months of continuous separation. Filing fees run approximately $165 or more depending on case type and whether minor children are involved. A parenting education class is required for all cases involving children before the final decree can be entered. Free forms and guides for self-represented filers are available through ARLawHelp.org.

Nearby Cities and County Resources

Bentonville is the county seat of Benton County in northwest Arkansas. Other qualifying cities near Bentonville with their own divorce decree pages include Rogers to the south, Fayetteville in Washington County, and Springdale. Also in Benton County are Bella Vista and Centerton, which file divorce cases at the same courthouse in Bentonville.

For the full county-level overview, see the Benton County divorce decree records page. The Arkansas State Archives handles historical record research for older cases. Legal aid is available through ARLawHelp.org.