Randolph County Divorce Decree Records

Randolph County divorce decree records are filed and maintained at the Circuit Clerk's office in Pocahontas, Arkansas. This page covers how to search for and request divorce decree records in Randolph County, including clerk contact information, free online case search through CourtConnect, certified copy fees, Arkansas residency requirements, and supporting state resources for anyone researching 3rd Judicial Circuit divorce filings.

Randolph County Circuit Clerk Office

The Randolph County Circuit Clerk's office is the official custodian of all divorce decree records filed in the county. The office is at 107 W. Broadway St., Pocahontas, AR 72455. Phone: (870) 892-5264. The Circuit Clerk handles all court filings in the domestic relations, civil, criminal, and juvenile divisions. Divorce cases fall under the domestic relations division. The clerk's office creates and maintains the full case file from the day a petition is filed through the final decree and any subsequent modification proceedings.

The complete divorce case file includes the initial petition, the summons served on the other party, the defendant's answer or waiver of service, financial affidavits submitted by both parties, any temporary orders entered during the case for custody or support, and the final signed divorce decree. If either party later seeks to modify custody, support, or other terms, those modification filings are also kept by the Circuit Clerk in the same case file.

Certified copies of Randolph County divorce decrees cost $5.00 for the first page and $0.50 per additional page under Arkansas's state fee schedule. Requests can be made in person at the Broadway Street courthouse during business hours or by mail. For mail requests, include both parties' full names, the approximate year the case was filed, your return mailing address, and payment by check or money order. The clerk can confirm the exact fee total before processing if needed.

Online Case Search for Randolph County Divorce Records

The Arkansas judiciary provides free public case search through CourtConnect. You can search Randolph County divorce cases by party name or case number without creating an account. The system returns basic case data: filing date, party names, docket entries, and current status. Document images are not available through the portal. To get the actual text of a divorce decree, you need to request a copy from the Randolph County Circuit Clerk after finding the case number on CourtConnect.

CourtConnect supports statewide name searches. If you are unsure whether the case was filed in Randolph County or a neighboring county, search by name without selecting a specific county. The system will return results from all 75 Arkansas counties, letting you identify the correct filing location before making any formal request. This is the most efficient first step when the filing county is uncertain.

Under Arkansas Administrative Order No. 19, divorce case records in circuit court are generally open public records. Social security numbers and financial account numbers are redacted from records released to the public. Cases sealed by court order are not accessible. Standard Randolph County divorce cases carry no such restrictions.

CourtConnect provides free access to Randolph County divorce decree case records. Search by party name or case number through the official Arkansas judiciary portal for filings in the 3rd Judicial Circuit.

What a Divorce Decree Contains

A divorce decree is the complete, signed court order that legally ends a marriage. It is not the same as a short-form divorce certificate. The Randolph County Circuit Clerk holds the decree. It contains all the terms the judge ordered or the parties agreed to: how marital property is divided, how debts are assigned, real estate transfer instructions, child custody arrangements and parenting schedules, child support amounts and payment terms, alimony if ordered, and any name restoration granted to either party.

The decree is the document you will need for most post-divorce legal and financial matters. If you are refinancing a home that was jointly owned, the title company will ask for the decree. If you are splitting a retirement account through a QDRO, the plan administrator needs the decree. If you go back to court for a custody modification, the judge needs to see the original decree. Banks, insurance companies, and Social Security offices may also ask for it in different situations. A certified copy from the Randolph County Circuit Clerk costs $5.00 for the first page.

The divorce certificate is a short summary record held by the Arkansas Department of Health. It shows only names, date, and county. It does not contain any terms. It costs $10. Phone: (501) 661-2336. ADH Vital Records is at 4815 W. Markham St., Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. Certificates are restricted to parties and those with a documented legal interest; decrees at the courthouse are open public records under § 25-19-105.

Filing for Divorce in Randolph County

Arkansas law requires that at least one spouse has lived in the state for 60 days before a divorce petition can be filed. After filing, the court cannot enter the final decree until one party has been a Randolph County resident for at least 90 days. Both conditions are separate requirements, and both must be met before the case can close.

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 with the other party intolerable, cruelty (physical or mental), adultery, habitual drunkenness for one year or more, felony conviction with a sentence of one year or more, permanent insanity with prior institutionalization, and 18 consecutive months of separation. When both parties agree on all terms and the defendant files a written waiver of service and process, proof of grounds is not required at a formal hearing. The uncontested process is common and faster than a contested proceeding.

New circuit court civil case filing fees are $165.00. Reopening an existing case costs $50.00. Free approved divorce forms for self-represented filers are available at Arkansas Legal Help. The site provides complete form packets with filing instructions for Arkansas domestic relations cases.

Note: Randolph County has no cities that meet the qualifying population threshold for individual city pages on this site. All county filings go to the Pocahontas courthouse.

Historical Records and State Archives

For older Randolph County divorce decree records that may not be readily available at the local courthouse, the Arkansas State Archives can help with research. The Archives offers up to two hours of free remote research per request. Contact them at state.archives@arkansas.gov or call (501) 682-6900. Address: One Capitol Mall, Room 2B-215, Little Rock, AR 72201. The Archives holds records transferred from county courthouses and can help identify the best source for older Randolph County records.

FamilySearch indexes some historical Arkansas court records and is a good starting point for genealogical research involving older Randolph County divorces. If a record cannot be found at the courthouse, FamilySearch or the Archives are the next logical steps. The clerk's office can also tell you whether older records were transferred or destroyed.

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

FOIA and Public Access to Divorce Records

Randolph County divorce decree records are public under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. § 25-19-105 requires custodians to respond to written inspection and copy requests within three business days. Copy fees are $5.00 for the first certified page and $0.50 for each additional page.

Social security numbers and financial account numbers within the file are redacted before release. Cases sealed by court order are not available for public inspection. Standard Randolph County divorce cases carry no such restriction. Any person may request a copy by appearing in person at 107 W. Broadway St. in Pocahontas or by submitting a written mail request with payment enclosed.

If a request is denied, the clerk must provide a written explanation citing the specific legal basis. Most standard divorce decree requests are approved and fulfilled without issue. If you are unsure about the fee for a specific case, call the office at (870) 892-5264 before sending payment.

Nearby Counties

Randolph County is in the far northeast corner of Arkansas, bordering Missouri. It is part of the 3rd Judicial Circuit. Each neighboring county has its own independent Circuit Clerk and divorce records. If you are not sure which county a divorce was filed in, use CourtConnect's statewide name search before contacting any individual clerk.

• Lawrence County - Walnut Ridge
• Greene County - Paragould
• Sharp County - Ash Flat
• Clay County - Piggott / Corning

Records filed in Clay County or Lawrence County are not available at the Randolph County courthouse, and vice versa. CourtConnect is the most efficient tool when the correct county is unknown.