Pope County Divorce Decree Records

Pope County divorce decree records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk's office in Russellville, Arkansas. This page explains how to find and obtain divorce decree records in Pope County, with contact details for the clerk's office, free online case search through CourtConnect, certified copy fees, state residency requirements, resources for Russellville residents, and information on the state-level tools available for anyone researching 20th Judicial Circuit divorce filings.

Pope County Circuit Clerk Office

The Pope County Circuit Clerk's office is the primary custodian of all divorce decree records filed in the county. The office is located at 100 W Main, Russellville, AR 72801. Phone: (479) 968-7499. The Circuit Clerk handles filings in domestic relations, civil, criminal, and juvenile court divisions. Divorce cases are filed in the domestic relations division. The clerk maintains the complete case file from first filing through final decree and any post-decree modifications.

The case file for a Pope County divorce includes the initial petition, the summons, the defendant's answer or waiver, financial affidavits submitted by both parties, temporary orders entered during the proceeding, the final divorce decree signed by the circuit court judge, and any later filings to modify custody, support, or property terms. When you need a certified copy of a Pope County divorce decree, you request it from this office. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page.

Requests can be made in person at the courthouse on West Main Street in Russellville or by mail. Mail requests should include the full names of both parties, the approximate year the case was filed, your mailing address, and a check or money order for the fee.

Online Case Search for Pope County Divorce Decrees

Arkansas provides free public case search through CourtConnect, the official state judiciary portal. You can search Pope County divorce cases by party name or case number. The system returns basic case information: filing date, party names, docket entries, and case status. Document images are not available. To read the actual decree, you need to request a copy from the Circuit Clerk after identifying the case on CourtConnect.

CourtConnect supports statewide searches. If you are unsure whether a divorce was filed in Pope County or a neighboring county, search by name without selecting a specific county. The system will return all matches from every Arkansas county, and you can identify the correct filing location before contacting any specific clerk. This is the fastest approach when the filing location is uncertain.

Under Arkansas Administrative Order No. 19, circuit court divorce records are generally public. Social security numbers and financial account numbers are redacted in records released to the public. Cases sealed by court order are restricted. Standard Pope County divorce cases carry no such restrictions.

CourtConnect is the Arkansas judiciary's free public portal. Use it to search Pope County divorce decree cases by name or case number for filings in the 20th Judicial Circuit.

Russellville and Pope County Divorce Records

Russellville is the county seat of Pope County and the largest city in the county. Russellville residents who file for divorce do so at the Pope County Circuit Clerk's office at 100 W Main. The case is a Pope County case regardless of whether you live in Russellville, Atkins, Dover, or any other part of the county. All Pope County divorce records are maintained at the same courthouse. There is no separate records system for the city of Russellville.

If you are a Russellville resident looking for your own divorce decree, or searching for a decree involving someone who lived in Russellville, the Pope County Circuit Clerk is the correct office to contact. For additional resources available to Russellville residents, including legal aid and family law services, see the Russellville divorce records page on this site.

Pope County has a fairly active circuit court docket given that Russellville is home to Arkansas Tech University and draws significant population from surrounding areas. The clerk's office in Russellville handles a higher volume than many rural Arkansas counties.

Divorce Decree vs. Certificate

Two records document every Arkansas divorce. The divorce decree is the full court order from the Pope County Circuit Court. It contains all terms: property division, debt allocation, real estate transfers, custody, parenting schedules, child support, alimony, and any name restoration. The Circuit Clerk holds this record. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first page. You need the decree for most post-divorce legal and financial purposes.

The divorce certificate is a short summary record held by the Arkansas Department of Health. It lists names, date, and county only. It does not contain divorce terms. It costs $10 per copy. ADH Vital Records is at 4815 W. Markham St., Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. Phone: (501) 661-2336. Walk-in service runs Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

Certificates are restricted to parties and those with documented legal interest. Divorce decrees at the Circuit Clerk are open public records under § 25-19-105 of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Residency and Filing Requirements

To file for divorce in Pope County, at least one spouse must have lived in Arkansas for a minimum of 60 days before filing. After filing, the court cannot enter the final decree until one party has been a Pope County resident for at least 90 days. Both conditions must be met independently.

Arkansas divorce law under § 9-12-301 requires the petition to state a legal ground for the divorce. Accepted grounds include general indignities making life intolerable, cruelty, adultery, habitual drunkenness for one year or more, felony conviction, permanent insanity, and 18 consecutive months of separation. When both parties agree on all terms and the defendant files a written waiver of service, formal proof of grounds is not required at a hearing.

Filing fees for a new circuit court case are $165.00. Reopening a prior case costs $50.00. Free forms for self-represented filers are available at Arkansas Legal Help. Forms include full divorce packets with filing instructions.

State Archives and Historical Records

For older Pope County divorce decree records, the Arkansas State Archives offers up to two hours of free remote research per request. Contact the Archives at state.archives@arkansas.gov or (501) 682-6900. Physical location: One Capitol Mall, Room 2B-215, Little Rock, AR 72201. The Archives can help locate older records that may have been transferred from the Pope County courthouse.

FamilySearch also indexes some Arkansas court records. For genealogical research involving Pope County divorces from earlier decades, FamilySearch is a useful first check before contacting the Archives or the courthouse directly.

The Arkansas State Archives research page describes available collections and how to submit a request for older Pope County divorce decree records that may be held at the state level.

Nearby Counties

Pope County is in the Arkansas River Valley region. It shares the 20th Judicial Circuit with Perry County and is bordered by several other counties, each with its own independent Circuit Clerk and divorce records. Use CourtConnect to search statewide by name if you are not certain which county filed the case.

• Johnson County - Clarksville
• Yell County - Danville / Dardanelle
• Conway County - Morrilton
• Perry County - Perryville
• Van Buren County - Clinton
• Logan County - Paris / Booneville

Each county holds its own records independently. Records filed in Johnson County are not available at the Pope County courthouse. CourtConnect's statewide search is the most efficient way to confirm the correct county before making any formal request.