Conway Divorce Decree Records

Divorce decree records for Conway residents are filed and kept by the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk, which is the official custodian of all domestic relations case files, certified copies, and court documents for the county. Conway is the county seat of Faulkner County, so the courthouse where you file and retrieve divorce decrees is located right in the city. This page covers how to find, request, and use divorce decree records specific to Conway and Faulkner County.

Faulkner County Circuit Clerk in Conway

The Faulkner County Circuit Clerk, Nancy Eastham, is located at 724 Locust Avenue, Conway, AR 72034. The phone is (501) 450-4911. This office is the sole custodian of divorce decree records for all of Faulkner County, including Conway. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, except on state holidays.

The Circuit Clerk office serves as ex-officio recorder for the county. Real estate records have been scanned back to 1950, and court cases of all types have been scanned back to 2000. Electronic filing began on June 1, 2016. Court records going back to January 1, 2009 are searchable through Public Court Connect, the state's online case access tool. This gives Conway residents fairly broad online access to recent divorce case records.

Conway does not have its own divorce records system. The city government has no role in filing, storing, or providing copies of divorce decrees. All divorce cases for Conway residents are handled by the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk at 724 Locust Avenue. If you contact Conway City Hall about a divorce decree, staff will refer you to the Circuit Clerk.

Note: The Faulkner County Circuit Clerk handles both civil and domestic relations cases. For divorce specifically, confirm you are calling the Circuit Clerk, not the County Clerk, when you call (501) 450-4911.

Getting Copies of Conway Divorce Decrees

Certified copies of Conway divorce decrees are available through the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk at 724 Locust Avenue. Certified copies cost $5.00 each under state fee schedules. Plain page copies carry a lower per-page fee. You can request copies in person during business hours or by mail.

For mail requests, write a letter with the full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, and the case number if known. Include a check or money order payable to the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your documents. Mail to: Faulkner County Circuit Clerk, 724 Locust Avenue, Conway, AR 72034.

In-person requests can be handled at the same address during business hours. Bring valid photo ID. Cases scanned into the system since 2000 can typically be retrieved quickly. For cases before 2000, allow extra time, as those records may need to be located in physical storage. Call (501) 450-4911 to ask about current turnaround times before submitting a time-sensitive request.

The Faulkner County Circuit Clerk website provides contact information, office hours, and details on available services for Conway residents who need to access or file divorce records.

Search Conway Divorce Decrees Online

Arkansas court records are searchable through two main online tools. The first is CourtConnect, the Arkansas Judiciary's free public case search. It covers Faulkner County divorce cases and lets you search by party name, case number, or attorney. Results show case status, filing dates, and party names, but not the full documents. Use it to confirm a case exists and get the case number before contacting the clerk.

Public Court Connect, referenced on the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk's website, covers Faulkner County records going back to January 1, 2009. This is a substantial range that covers many Conway divorce cases. Cases before 2009 are not available through this system and require a direct request to the clerk's office.

Under Arkansas FOIA § 25-19-105, court records are generally public. Sensitive personal data including Social Security numbers may be redacted from public copies. Records sealed by a judge will not appear in any public search. If a case does not appear in CourtConnect, contact the clerk directly to check whether it exists in the pre-electronic paper files.

Filing for Divorce in Conway

Conway residents file for divorce at the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk at 724 Locust Avenue. At least one spouse must have been an Arkansas resident for 60 days before filing. The court cannot enter a final decree until one party has lived in Faulkner County for 90 days. Arkansas recognizes fault and no-fault grounds for divorce.

Common fault grounds include general indignities, cruelty, adultery, 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. Cases with minor children require both parents to complete a state-approved parenting education program before the final decree is issued. This is a statewide requirement, not specific to Faulkner County.

Self-represented filers in Conway can use free forms and guides at ARLawHelp.org. The site has step-by-step instructions for uncontested divorce cases and links to local legal aid providers serving central Arkansas. For contested cases or those involving significant property or custody disputes, legal representation is strongly recommended.

Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate in Faulkner County

A Conway divorce decree is the complete court order from the Faulkner County Circuit Court. It includes the full case file from the initial petition to the final judgment, including property division, child custody and support terms, and the judge's signature. This document is required for most legal purposes, such as proving a prior marriage was dissolved, changing names on property records, or enforcing a court-ordered support arrangement.

A divorce certificate is a different document. It is a short summary maintained by the Arkansas Department of Health showing only the names, date, and county of the divorce. Certificates are available since 1923 and cost $10 each. Contact ADH Vital Records at 4815 West Markham Street Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205, or call (501) 661-2336. The Department of Health does not hold actual divorce decrees. Those remain permanently on file with the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk.

Nearby Cities and Resources

Conway is the county seat of Faulkner County, located about 25 miles north of Little Rock. Other qualifying cities near Conway with their own divorce decree pages include Little Rock and North Little Rock in Pulaski County to the south, and Cabot in Lonoke County to the southeast. All Conway and Faulkner County divorce cases are handled at the Faulkner County Courthouse at 724 Locust Avenue.

For the full county-level overview, see the Faulkner County divorce decree records page. Additional filing details are available through the Faulkner County divorce records page. Legal aid for Conway residents is available through ARLawHelp.org.