Divorce Decree Records in Stone County

Stone County divorce decree records are filed and maintained by the Circuit Clerk in Mountain View, Arkansas. The office handles all domestic relations cases for the county and is your main contact for finding a divorce decree, requesting a certified copy, or understanding the filing process. This page covers the office, the access options, and the resources available for Stone County divorce records.

Stone County Circuit Clerk Office

The Stone County Circuit Clerk is the official custodian of divorce decree records for the county. The office is located at 107 West Main, Suite D, Mountain View, AR 72560. Reach the clerk by phone at (870) 269-3271. Hours are Monday through Friday during regular courthouse business hours. Stone County is in the 16th Judicial Circuit.

All domestic relations filings, final divorce orders, and any post-decree modifications for Stone County cases are kept at this office. Whether you need to confirm a divorce was finalized, get a copy of the decree, or check the status of a case, the Circuit Clerk in Mountain View is your first stop. The County Clerk in Mountain View maintains a separate set of records covering marriage licenses, probate, and land records.

If you are not sure which office handles what you need, call the courthouse and explain your request. Staff can point you to the right office. For divorce decree records specifically, always contact the Circuit Clerk.

Online Search for Stone County Divorce Decrees

The Arkansas Judiciary provides a free public case search tool called CourtConnect. It covers all 75 Arkansas counties, including Stone County. You can search by party name, case number, or citation and see filing dates, case types, party names, and status. The full decree text is not available online, but CourtConnect is a reliable way to confirm a case exists and get the case number before making a formal request.

Use the Arkansas CourtConnect public access portal to search Stone County divorce records at no cost.

Once you have a case number, contact the Circuit Clerk at (870) 269-3271 or visit Suite D at 107 West Main in Mountain View to request the actual decree document.

Older Stone County cases that predate the electronic filing system may not appear in CourtConnect. For those records, a direct phone call or written mail request to the clerk's office is the right approach. Providing both party names and an approximate year helps staff search paper files quickly.

Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate

These two documents are different. A divorce decree is the full court order. It contains everything the judge ordered: property and debt division, custody, child support amounts, alimony, grounds, and any special terms. The Stone County Circuit Clerk in Mountain View holds this document.

A divorce certificate is the state-level short summary. It confirms the divorce and lists the party names, date, and county. Nothing more. The Arkansas Department of Health at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205 holds certificates for all Arkansas divorces from January 1923 forward. Certificates cost $10 per copy. Order by phone at (501) 661-2336, online, or by mail. For the actual court order from a Stone County case, the Circuit Clerk in Mountain View is the only source. The health department cannot provide a decree under any circumstances.

Requesting Certified Copies and Fees

Certified copies of Stone County divorce decrees are available from the Circuit Clerk at Suite D, 107 West Main, Mountain View. You can request in person or by mail. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID if visiting in person. Mail requests should include your full name, relationship to the case, both parties' names, approximate year of the divorce, your return address, and a check or money order for the fee.

Certified copy fees in Arkansas are $5 or more per document depending on page count. State law limits fees to actual reproduction costs. If you are unsure about the current fee or want to confirm processing time, call (870) 269-3271 before sending a mail request. The clerk will follow up if more detail is needed to locate the file.

Access to divorce decrees is restricted. Only the parties named in the case, their close family members (parents, children, grandchildren), and authorized legal representatives can receive certified copies. After 100 years from the divorce date, records become fully public. Be prepared to explain your relationship to the case if you are not one of the named parties.

Filing for Divorce in Stone County

Divorce petitions in Stone County are filed at the Circuit Court in Mountain View. Arkansas requires at least one spouse to have been an Arkansas resident for 60 days before filing. The final decree cannot be entered until the filing spouse has been a county resident for at least 90 days. These minimums apply in Stone County as in every other Arkansas county.

Arkansas recognizes both fault and no-fault grounds for divorce under Arkansas Code § 9-12-301. The recognized grounds include adultery, cruelty, felony conviction, habitual drunkenness for one year or more, permanent insanity, inability to have sexual relations, indignities making the other spouse's situation intolerable, and voluntary separation for 18 continuous months. In uncontested cases where both parties agree, the defendant can waive proof of grounds in writing. Where minor children are involved, both parents must complete a court-approved parenting education class before the court will issue the final decree.

Self-represented filers in Stone County can use ARLawHelp.org for free forms and guides. The estimated base filing fee is around $165, consistent with other Arkansas counties. Additional hearings and motions in contested cases will increase the total cost.

Historical Records and Arkansas State Archives

For older Stone County divorce records that predate the current electronic system, the Arkansas State Archives can help. They offer free remote research up to two hours per request. Email state.archives@arkansas.gov or call 501-682-6900. Responses usually arrive within a few days; delivery takes one to three weeks depending on workload.

The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act § 25-19-105 governs access to court records across the state. The clerk is required to make non-restricted records available within three working days of a request. Divorce decrees in Stone County are restricted but not sealed; eligible parties can request them at the Circuit Clerk's office in Mountain View.

For legal aid, Stone County residents can use ARLawHelp.org for free forms and guidance on the divorce process. The CDC's Arkansas vital records page covers where to get divorce certificates at the state level if you need a short-form confirmation rather than the full court order.

Nearby Counties

Stone County borders several counties in north-central Arkansas. For divorce records in those areas, contact each county's Circuit Clerk:

• Searcy County
• Van Buren County
• Independence County
• Izard County
• Baxter County
• Newton County
• Sharp County

No cities in Stone County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Mountain View is the county seat and location of the Circuit Clerk for all Stone County divorce filings.