Access Union County Divorce Decree Records
Union County divorce decree records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk in El Dorado, Arkansas, and the office handles all domestic relations filings for the county. If you need to search for a divorce case, request a certified copy of a final decree, or understand how to file in Union County, this page covers the office, the process, and the resources available to you.
Union County Divorce Records Overview
Union County Circuit Clerk Office
The Union County Circuit Clerk is the official custodian of divorce decree records for the county. The office is at 101 North Washington, Suite 201, El Dorado, AR 71730. The phone number is (870) 864-1940. Business hours run Monday through Friday during regular courthouse hours. Union County is in the 13th Judicial Circuit.
All domestic relations filings, final divorce orders, and post-decree modifications for Union County cases are held at this office. If you need to verify a divorce was finalized, get a copy of the order, or check on an active filing, the Circuit Clerk in El Dorado is the right contact. The County Clerk in El Dorado handles separate records: marriage licenses, probate filings, and land records.
Suite 201 at 101 North Washington is the specific location inside the courthouse. If you plan to visit in person, call ahead to confirm hours and check whether you need an appointment for records requests.
Searching for Union County Divorce Decrees Online
Arkansas provides a free statewide case search tool through the judiciary called CourtConnect. It covers all Arkansas counties including Union County in El Dorado. You can search by party name, case number, or citation number. Results show filing date, case type, parties, and current status. The full text of a decree is not available online.
Use the Arkansas CourtConnect public access portal to search Union County divorce records at no cost before making a formal request to the Circuit Clerk.
Once you locate a case number, bring it to the Circuit Clerk at Suite 201 in El Dorado or call (870) 864-1940 to request the actual decree document.
If a case does not appear in CourtConnect, it likely predates the electronic filing system. Contact the clerk directly or submit a mail request. Providing names of both parties and an approximate year gives staff enough to search older paper files. CourtConnect technical support is available at (866) 823-5778.
Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate
These two documents serve different purposes and come from different agencies. A divorce decree is the complete court order. It covers every issue the judge ruled on: property, debts, custody, child support, alimony, and grounds. The Union County Circuit Clerk in El Dorado holds this document for all cases filed in the county.
A divorce certificate is a short state record that confirms a divorce occurred. It lists party names, the date, and the county, nothing more. The Arkansas Department of Health at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205 maintains certificates for all Arkansas divorces from January 1923 forward. Certificates cost $10 per copy. Order by phone at (501) 661-2336, online with a small identity verification fee, or by mail. If you need the actual court order for a Union County divorce, the Circuit Clerk is where you go. The state health department holds only short-form certificates and cannot issue a decree.
Note: For Union County divorces before January 1923, the Circuit Clerk in El Dorado is your only source since the Arkansas Department of Health does not hold records from that period.
Requesting Certified Copies and Fees
Certified copies of Union County divorce decrees are available from the Circuit Clerk at 101 North Washington, Suite 201, El Dorado. Requests may be made in person or by mail. For in-person visits, bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Mail requests should include your name, relationship to the case, both party names, approximate year of divorce, your return address, and a check or money order for the applicable fee.
Certified copy fees are generally $5 or more per document in Arkansas, varying by page count. State law limits copy fees to actual reproduction costs. If you want to confirm the current fee before sending a request, call (870) 864-1940. The clerk will contact you if additional information is needed to locate the file.
Access to certified copies of divorce decrees is restricted. Only the parties named in the case, their close family members, and authorized legal representatives can receive certified copies. After 100 years from the date of divorce, records become fully public. If you are not a named party, you will need to state your relationship and may be asked to provide documentation.
Filing for Divorce in Union County
Divorce petitions in Union County are filed at the Circuit Court in El Dorado. Arkansas requires at least one spouse to have been a state resident for 60 days before filing. The final decree cannot be issued until the filing spouse has been a Union County resident for at least 90 days. These minimums apply in every Arkansas county under state law.
Arkansas recognizes both fault and no-fault grounds for divorce under Arkansas Code § 9-12-301. The 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 consecutive months. For uncontested cases, the defendant can waive proof of grounds in writing. Cases involving minor children require both parents to complete a court-approved parenting education class before the decree is entered.
Free forms and guides for self-represented filers are available through ARLawHelp.org. The estimated base filing fee in Union County is around $165. Contested cases with additional hearings will cost more. The Arkansas Court Kiosk program also provides self-service terminals at courthouse locations with forms and fact sheets for people navigating their own cases.
Historical Records and Legal Resources
For older Union County divorce records, the Arkansas State Archives can help with research at no cost for up to two hours per request. Contact them at state.archives@arkansas.gov or call 501-682-6900. Responses come within a few days; delivery takes one to three weeks depending on demand.
The Arkansas State Archives holds collections that go back well before the electronic filing era, making it a key resource for genealogical research on older Union County divorce cases.
The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act § 25-19-105 governs public access to court records statewide. The clerk must make non-restricted records available within three working days of a request. Union County divorce records are restricted but not sealed, and eligible parties can obtain them through a standard request at the Circuit Clerk's office in El Dorado.
Cities and Nearby Counties
El Dorado is a qualifying city in Union County with a dedicated page on this site:
Union County borders several counties in southern Arkansas. For divorce records in those areas, each county's Circuit Clerk maintains its own records: