Access Desha County Divorce Decree Records
Divorce decree records in Desha County are maintained by the Circuit Clerk in Arkansas City, Arkansas, and the office handles all domestic relations case filings for the county. Whether you are looking to confirm a divorce, request a certified copy of a decree, or need to understand what is required to file, this page covers the right offices, fees, and access rules for Desha County.
Desha County Divorce Records Overview
Desha County Circuit Clerk Office
The Circuit Clerk in Arkansas City is the official custodian of divorce decrees and all court records in Desha County. The office is located at 604 President Street, Arkansas City, AR 71630. The phone number is (870) 877-2411 and the fax is (870) 877-3407. Standard office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
The Circuit Clerk handles divorce, land, and court records for the county. The Desha County Courthouse mailing address is Robert Moore Avenue, PO Box 188, Arkansas City, AR 71630, with a phone of 870-877-2323. Court records in Desha County date back to 1840, and land records go back to 1839. Divorce records indexed by FamilySearch cover 1923 through 1969 for this county.
The County Clerk, Valerie Donaldson, is a separate office at 608 Robert S Moore Ave, Arkansas City, AR 71630. Her office handles probate, county court, and marriage records. It is not the place to go for divorce decrees. Marriage licenses cost $60 standard. The County Clerk phone is 870-222-0870.
The official Desha County Clerk website provides contact details, office hours, and links to court case search tools. The site also lists the range of records maintained at the County Clerk's and Circuit Clerk's offices in Arkansas City.
Desha County Divorce Decree Search Online
The Arkansas Judiciary operates CourtConnect, a free public search portal for all Arkansas counties. You can search Desha County divorce cases by party name, case number, or citation. The system shows filing date, case type, parties, and case status but does not give you the full decree document. You need the Circuit Clerk for that.
For CourtConnect help, call the Administrative Office of Courts toll-free at (866) 823-5778. If you are at the courthouse in Arkansas City, public access terminals are available during business hours. These terminals let you search case information without waiting in line at the clerk's window.
The County Office directory for Desha County courts lists Circuit Clerk contact details, explains what records are available, and notes that certified copies are available by written request. It is a quick reference for office addresses and phone numbers across multiple Desha County agencies.
Under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act § 25-19-105, public records must be made available during regular business hours. If a record is in active use or storage, the clerk must certify that in writing and make it available within three working days. Fees cannot exceed actual reproduction costs.
Decree vs. Certificate: Which One Do You Need?
A divorce decree is the full court order. It covers every term the judge set: property division, custody, support, and the grounds for divorce. The Desha County Circuit Clerk at 604 President Street holds these records. If you need something that shows exactly what the court ordered, this is what you request.
A divorce certificate is a much shorter document. It just shows the parties' names, the county, and the date of the divorce. These are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Health for all divorces statewide since January 1923. Cost is $10 per copy. Orders can be placed online, by phone at (866) 209-9482, or by mail to Vital Records Slot 44, 4815 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205.
The Department of Health does not have divorce decrees. Courts do not hold divorce certificates. They are held by different agencies, and you need to contact the right one based on what you actually need. For genealogical research on Desha County records, FamilySearch has indexed Desha County divorce records from 1923 to 1969.
Certified Copy Requests and Fees
Certified copies of Desha County divorce decrees are available from the Circuit Clerk at 604 President Street, Arkansas City. Bring a valid photo ID or include a copy with a mail request. Fees for copies are set by state law and cannot exceed actual reproduction costs. Certified copy fees are typically $5 or more depending on document length.
Access to divorce records in Arkansas is restricted under § 20-18-305 of the Vital Statistics Act. Only the people named in the divorce, their immediate family members (parents, children, grandchildren), and legal representatives with valid authorization can request certified copies. Records become fully public 100 years after the divorce date.
For mail requests, include both parties' full names, an approximate date or year, your name and relationship to the case, a copy of your ID, and your payment method. The clerk will reach out if more information is needed. Written requests are accepted and are sometimes faster than waiting in line, especially for routine copy requests.
Note: If the record you need is in active use or temporary storage, the clerk must certify that in writing and provide the record within three working days.
Filing for Divorce in Desha County
Divorce cases in Desha County are filed at the Circuit Court in Arkansas City. Arkansas requires fault-based grounds for divorce under § 9-12-301 of the Arkansas Code. The recognized grounds are adultery, cruelty, habitual drunkenness lasting one year or more, felony conviction, permanent insanity, inability to have sexual relations, indignities making the spouse's condition intolerable, and living separately for at least 18 months without sexual contact.
Residency rules: at least one spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before filing. The final decree cannot be issued until the filing spouse has lived in the county for at least 3 months. In an uncontested divorce where both parties agree on everything, the defendant can waive proof of the grounds in writing, which simplifies the process. Cases with minor children require completion of a parenting education class under Arkansas law.
Filing fees run around $165 or more in most Arkansas counties. Uncontested cases typically close in two to three months. Contested cases with property or custody disputes take longer. Self-help forms and legal guides are available through Arkansas Legal Services, which provides free resources for people representing themselves. The Arkansas Court Kiosk program also offers public access terminals at courthouses to help people find forms and court information.
Legal Help and Additional Resources
ARLawHelp.org is the main source for free self-help legal forms in Arkansas. They have interactive divorce forms and plain-language guides for uncontested cases. They do not give legal advice. For complex matters, an attorney familiar with Desha County court practices is the best option.
The Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock handles requests for older records that may not be in the Circuit Clerk's active system. They offer up to two free hours of remote research. Send requests to state.archives@arkansas.gov or call 501-682-6900. The archives hold materials from all over the state, and responses typically come within three to four days.
For a general overview of how divorce records work in Arkansas, DivorceArkansas.org explains the difference between decrees and certificates, what each document contains, and where each type is held. Also helpful is the CDC's Arkansas vital records page, which covers the statewide certificate system and contact information for the Department of Health.
Nearby Counties
Desha County shares borders with several other Arkansas counties. Divorce decrees for those areas are held by their respective Circuit Clerks:
No cities in Desha County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Arkansas City is the county seat and the location of the Circuit Court for all divorce filings in the county.