Dallas County Divorce Decree Search
Divorce decree records in Dallas County are maintained by the Circuit Clerk in Fordyce, Arkansas, and the office handles all domestic relations, felony criminal, and civil case filings for the county. If you need to find a divorce decree, get a certified copy, or understand how to file in the 11th West Judicial Circuit, this page covers the key offices, fees, and steps involved.
Dallas County Divorce Records Overview
Dallas County Circuit Clerk
Dori Keeton serves as Circuit Clerk for Dallas County. The office is at 206 West 3rd Street, Fordyce, Arkansas 71742. The phone is 870.352.2307. Hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
The Circuit Clerk handles all felony criminal, divorce, custody, child support, eviction, contract dispute, and general civil case filings for Dallas County. The clerk also records land instruments, issues summonses, maintains all court dockets, and prepares appeals. Dallas County court records date back to 1845, and land records go back to 1843. Divorce records among equity records start from that same founding period.
One thing worth knowing: the Clerk's Office does not do research. Staff will help you find materials, but you are responsible for conducting the actual search yourself. This is standard practice across many small Arkansas counties.
The Arkansas Court Kiosk page for Dallas County lists case types handled at the Circuit Court, including divorce and custody, along with the Circuit Clerk's address and a direct link to the CourtConnect online search tool.
Search Dallas County Divorce Records Online
The Arkansas Judiciary's CourtConnect portal is free to use and covers case-level records from all Arkansas counties, including Dallas County. You can search by party name, case ID, or citation number. The tool shows the case type, filing date, parties, and current status but does not display the full divorce decree document.
A courthouse kiosk is also available at the Dallas County courthouse in Fordyce. The kiosk lets you access court records, find forms, and search case information without having to interact directly with the clerk's staff. It is part of the statewide Arkansas Court Kiosk program, which aims to place at least one kiosk in every county.
For full document access, you need to go through the Circuit Clerk. Indexed data and digital images go back to at least September 1997 for many record types. Older records require an in-person or mail request. Under the Arkansas FOIA § 25-19-105, records must be made available promptly, and fees cannot exceed actual reproduction costs.
Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate
The divorce decree is the complete court order. It covers everything the judge decided: property division, debt assignments, custody, visitation schedules, child support amounts, and any spousal support terms. The Dallas County Circuit Clerk holds these records. Pre-1950 decrees are classified among equity records at the Circuit Court. Post-1950 records moved to the Arkansas Department of Health vital records system.
A divorce certificate is a shorter document with just the names, date, and county. The Arkansas Department of Health maintains these for all divorces since January 1923. Cost is $10 per copy. You can order by phone at (866) 209-9482, online with a $1.85 identity verification fee, or by mail to Vital Records Slot 44, 4815 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205.
If your divorce occurred before 1923, the certificate option is not available. In that case, the Circuit Clerk in Dallas County is your only source for any kind of official divorce record.
The Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness page for Dallas County documents record start dates, what the Circuit Clerk holds, and how to approach research for older divorce records in Fordyce. It is useful if you are tracing a family history that involves Dallas County divorces.
Certified Copies and Fees
To get a certified copy of a Dallas County divorce decree, contact the Circuit Clerk at 870.352.2307 or visit in person at 206 West 3rd Street, Fordyce. Bring a valid photo ID. Copy fees are set by state law and cannot exceed actual reproduction costs per § 25-19-105.
Access to divorce decrees is restricted under Arkansas Code § 20-18-305. Only the parties to the divorce, their immediate family (parents, children, grandchildren), and legal representatives with proper authorization can request certified copies. After 100 years from the divorce date, the records become fully public. If a record is temporarily unavailable, the clerk must put that in writing and make the record available within three working days.
Mail requests are fine. Include both parties' names, an approximate date or year, your relationship to the case, a copy of your photo ID, and payment. The clerk will contact you if more detail is needed. The office does not do research, so the more information you provide up front, the smoother the process will go.
Filing Requirements and Divorce Law in Dallas County
Divorces in Dallas County are filed at the Circuit Court in Fordyce, which is part of the 11th West Judicial Circuit. Arkansas requires fault-based grounds for divorce under § 9-12-301 of the Arkansas Code. Acceptable grounds include adultery, cruelty, habitual drunkenness for one year or more, felony conviction, permanent insanity, inability to have sexual relations, indignities making the spouse's condition intolerable, or living separately for 18 continuous months.
Residency requirements apply. At least one spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before filing. The final decree cannot be entered until that spouse has lived in the county for at least 3 months. Uncontested divorces are simpler: if both parties agree and the defendant waives proof requirements in writing, the court can proceed without requiring evidence of the grounds.
Filing fees in Dallas County run approximately $165 to $200. Uncontested cases with few assets often wrap up in two to three months. Contested divorces with property disputes or custody issues take longer, especially if mediation is ordered or the case goes to trial. Cases involving minor children require completion of a parenting education class. Attorney fees vary widely: flat fees for uncontested cases run $750 to $2,500, while contested cases are billed hourly at $150 to $300.
For self-represented filers, Arkansas Legal Services offers free divorce forms and legal information online. The site has interactive forms and plain-language guides for the full divorce process.
Legal Help and Historical Records
If you need help with a divorce filing or have questions about your rights, ARLawHelp.org is a free resource. They provide self-help forms but do not give legal advice. For anything complicated, consult an attorney familiar with Dallas County court procedures.
For historical research on older divorce records, the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock offers up to two free hours of remote research. Email state.archives@arkansas.gov or call 501-682-6900. The FamilySearch Dallas County genealogy page also has record start dates and links to indexed collections. Dallas County records are generally intact; only a few early tax books show wear and fading.
Note: Dallas County divorce records prior to 1950 are classified among equity records at the Circuit Clerk's office, not at the Arkansas Department of Health.
Nearby Counties
Dallas County borders the following counties, all of which have their own Circuit Clerk offices for divorce records:
No cities in Dallas County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Fordyce is the county seat and the location of all Circuit Court filings for the county.