El Dorado Divorce Decree Lookup

Divorce decree records for El Dorado residents are held at the Union County Circuit Clerk's office at 101 North Washington in El Dorado. El Dorado is the county seat of Union County, so all divorce filings and certified copies for the county are managed here in the city. This page covers how to search and request divorce decree records in El Dorado, what the filing process involves, the fees you can expect, and how to use the state's free online case search tool.

Union County Circuit Clerk in El Dorado

The Union County Circuit Clerk is at 101 North Washington, Suite 201, El Dorado, AR 71730. The phone number is (870) 864-1940. This office is the official keeper of all divorce case files in Union County, including cases filed by El Dorado residents and others from around the county. El Dorado is the county seat, so everything is centralized here. You do not need to travel to another city to access these records.

When you visit in person, bring a photo ID. If you have a case number from a prior search, bring that as well. It cuts down the time it takes for staff to locate the record. Certified copies of divorce decrees are $5.00 per document. Plain, uncertified copies have a lower per-page rate. For most legal and official purposes, you will need the certified version.

Mail requests should go to the Union County Circuit Clerk at the address above. Include the full names of both parties, the approximate year the divorce was granted, and a check or money order payable to the Union County Circuit Clerk. Include a return address so the office can mail back the documents you requested. Processing time varies based on current demand at the courthouse.

Note: The Circuit Clerk does not give legal advice. For help understanding the process or filling out forms, use a licensed attorney or a free legal aid service.

Search El Dorado Divorce Records Online

You can search Union County divorce cases for free using CourtConnect, the Arkansas Judiciary's public case search portal. Search by party name, case number, or date range. The tool returns case-level information: filing date, the names of the parties, and case status. It does not display document text, but it tells you whether a case exists and gives you the data you need to request copies from the clerk.

CourtConnect covers all Arkansas circuit courts and is available at any time. It works best for cases filed after 2009. For divorces from earlier years, contact the Union County Circuit Clerk by phone or by mail. Staff can check older indexes and let you know what records exist and what they cost to obtain.

Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate

People sometimes request the wrong document because the two sound similar. A divorce decree is the complete court order from the Union County Circuit Court. It includes all case documents: the petition, summons, any agreed terms, the judge's final ruling, and all orders related to property, support, or children. This is the record courts, lenders, and government agencies need when you must prove the terms of a divorce.

A divorce certificate is a brief vital record held by the Arkansas Department of Health. It contains only the names, county, and date of the divorce. Certificates are available for divorces granted in Arkansas since 1923. They cost $10 each and can be ordered by mail from ADH Vital Records, 4815 West Markham Street Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. The phone is (501) 661-2336. The Department of Health does not hold full decrees. Those are at the Union County Circuit Clerk in El Dorado.

If you are not sure which document you need, check with whoever is asking for it. Most legal situations require the certified decree from the Circuit Clerk, not the short certificate from Vital Records.

Filing for Divorce in El Dorado

To start a divorce case in El Dorado, go to the Union County Circuit Clerk at 101 North Washington, Suite 201. Arkansas requires that at least one spouse has lived in the state for 60 days before filing. The court cannot grant a final decree until one party has resided in the county for 90 days. These are legal requirements under Arkansas law, not optional steps, and the court checks them before issuing a final order.

Arkansas divorce law is fault-based. You must state a recognized ground in the petition. The most commonly used grounds are general indignities, separation for 18 continuous months, adultery, cruel treatment, and felony conviction. Most uncontested cases use either general indignities or the separation ground. Cases with minor children involve extra steps, including a required parenting education course, before the court will issue a final decree.

Filing fees are approximately $165, though amounts can vary by case type. Self-represented filers can get free help from ARLawHelp.org, which provides interactive forms, plain-language guides, and step-by-step instructions for Arkansas divorce filings.

Historical Records and State Archives

For older divorce records from El Dorado and Union County, the Arkansas State Archives can assist. They hold historical court records and provide up to two free hours of remote research. Contact them at 501-682-6900 or state.archives@arkansas.gov. The Archives are in Little Rock, but remote requests do not require you to travel.

The Archives are most useful for genealogy and historical research involving older records. For current case files and certified copies, the Union County Circuit Clerk in El Dorado is the correct office.

Union County's divorce records are also subject to Arkansas FOIA § 25-19-105, which establishes the rules for public access to court records. Most divorce case data is public. Social Security numbers and certain financial data may be redacted.

County Page and Legal Resources

El Dorado is the county seat of Union County in southern Arkansas. There are no other qualifying cities in Union County with their own divorce decree pages on this site. For the full county-level overview of divorce records in Union County, see the Union County divorce decree records page.

For free legal help with a divorce case in El Dorado, ARLawHelp.org is the primary statewide resource. If you need a licensed attorney in Union County, the Arkansas Bar Association can provide a referral.