White County Divorce Decree Records
White County divorce decree records are filed and maintained by the Circuit Clerk in Searcy, Arkansas, the county seat of White County. If you need to search for a divorce case, request a certified copy of a final decree, or understand how to file for divorce in White County, this page covers the office details, the process, and the tools available to help you access what you need.
White County Divorce Records Overview
White County Circuit Clerk in Searcy
The White County Circuit Clerk is the official holder of all divorce decree records for the county. The office is at 300 N. Spruce, Searcy, AR 72143. The phone number is (501) 279-6223. Hours run Monday through Friday during standard courthouse business hours. White County is in the 12th Judicial Circuit.
All domestic relations filings, final divorce orders, and post-decree modifications for White County are maintained at this office. The city of Searcy is the county seat of White County, not to be confused with Searcy County, which is a separate county with its county seat in Marshall. White County Circuit Court in Searcy handles all domestic relations cases for White County residents.
The County Clerk in Searcy handles different records, including marriage licenses, probate, and land records. For divorce decree records, always contact the Circuit Clerk at 300 N. Spruce. If you call the wrong office, staff can redirect you quickly.
Online Divorce Decree Search for White County
Arkansas offers a free statewide case search system through the judiciary called CourtConnect. It covers all 75 Arkansas counties, including White County in Searcy. You can search by party name, case number, or citation. Results show filing dates, case types, parties, and current status. The full decree text is not available online, but CourtConnect is useful for confirming a case and getting the case number before making a formal copy request.
The Arkansas CourtConnect public access portal is the free online tool for searching White County divorce records before you contact the Circuit Clerk.
Once you locate a case number through CourtConnect, contact the Circuit Clerk at (501) 279-6223 or visit 300 N. Spruce in Searcy to request the actual certified copy of the decree.
Older White County cases that predate the electronic filing system will not appear in CourtConnect. For those records, call the clerk directly or submit a written mail request with the names of both parties and an approximate year. CourtConnect support is available at (866) 823-5778.
Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate
These are two different documents. Understanding which one you need saves time and effort when making a request.
The divorce decree is the full court order signed by the White County Circuit Court judge. It contains everything that was ordered: property division, debts, custody, child support amounts, alimony, and the grounds for the divorce. The Circuit Clerk at 300 N. Spruce in Searcy holds this document for all White County cases.
A divorce certificate is a short summary maintained at the state level. It confirms the divorce happened and lists the party names, date, and county. That is the extent of it. The Arkansas Department of Health at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205 maintains these 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 full terms of a White County divorce, only the Circuit Clerk in Searcy can supply that document. The state health department holds only the short certificate and cannot issue a decree.
Note: The city of Searcy is the county seat of White County, which is a different county than Searcy County; their Circuit Clerk offices are in separate locations.
Certified Copy Requests and Fees
Certified copies of White County divorce decrees are available from the Circuit Clerk at 300 N. Spruce, Searcy. Requests can be made in person or by mail. Bring a valid photo ID for in-person visits. For mail requests, include your full name, relationship to the case, names of both parties, approximate year of the divorce, your return address, and payment for the applicable fee.
Certified copy fees in Arkansas are $5 or more per document, varying by page count. State law limits fees to actual reproduction costs. Call (501) 279-6223 before mailing a request if you want to confirm the current fee and expected turnaround time. The clerk's staff will follow up if additional information is needed to find the file.
Access to divorce decree copies is restricted under Arkansas law. Only the parties named in the case, their close family members, and authorized legal representatives can receive certified copies. After 100 years from the divorce date, records become fully public. Be prepared to state your relationship to the case and provide documentation if requested when you are not a named party.
Filing for Divorce in White County
Divorce petitions in White County are filed at the Circuit Court in Searcy. Arkansas law requires that at least one spouse has been an Arkansas resident for 60 days before filing. The final decree cannot be entered until the filing spouse has been a White County resident for at least 90 days. These are state minimums that apply in every Arkansas county.
Arkansas allows both fault and no-fault grounds for divorce under Arkansas Code § 9-12-301. Recognized grounds include adultery, cruelty, felony conviction, habitual drunkenness for one year or more, permanent insanity, inability to have sexual relations, indignities that make the other spouse's situation intolerable, and voluntary separation for 18 consecutive months. In 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 final decree is issued.
For self-represented filers in White County, ARLawHelp.org provides free forms and plain-language guides on the divorce process. The estimated base filing fee is around $165. Contested cases with multiple hearings will cost more.
Historical Records and Additional Resources
For older White County divorce records, the Arkansas State Archives offers up to two hours of free remote research per request. Reach them at state.archives@arkansas.gov or call 501-682-6900. Most responses come within a few days; document delivery takes one to three weeks depending on workload.
The Arkansas State Archives holds collections that predate the electronic filing era, including microfilm and original documents from White County that can help with genealogical or historical research on older divorce cases.
The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act § 25-19-105 governs public access to court records across the state. The clerk must make non-restricted records available within three working days of a request. White County divorce records are restricted but not sealed; eligible parties may request them at the Circuit Clerk's office in Searcy.
Cities and Nearby Counties
Searcy is a qualifying city in White County with a dedicated page on this site:
White County borders several counties in central Arkansas. For divorce records in those areas, contact each county's Circuit Clerk: