Garland County Court Records

Garland County court records generally refer to the records of legal proceedings that occurred within the county’s jurisdictions. The county’s judiciary usually generates, collects, and maintains these records. Court records may be kept in various formats, including written and typed documents, photocopies, data compilations, computer files, audio, video, and other forms of storage.

Court records are usually kept by the judiciary as they form important bits of record to show due process is followed and cases are free and fair. Such records include warrants, notices, subpoenas, summons, injunctions, judgments, appeals, and other case fillings. These records maintained by Garland County are considered Arkansas Court records.

Are Court Records Public in Garland County?

Under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, Garland County court records are considered public records. Any Arkansas citizen may access or copy such records.

However, while court records may usually be public records accessible by most citizens, the law subjects some records to restrictions or exemptions. The following are some of these exempted records under Arkansas law.

• Any records that have been sealed or expunged by court order
• Personal information such as tax records, medical records, and contact information that would constitute an invasion of privacy
• Records of investigations as at yet undisclosed by law enforcement agencies
• Records concerning juveniles or minors
• Any records that would reveal the identity of undercover law enforcement officers

The general public may still be able to access exempted records by obtaining a court order, or the restricted parts of the record may be redacted or removed completely. Section 25-19-105(b) of the Freedom of Information Act provides more extensive information about records exempted from public disclosure.

Garland County Court Records Search

Anyone planning to do a Garland County records search has several options. A court record search may be made via any of the following methods.

• Contact the Garland County Circuit Clerk
• Visit the Garland County District Court or Circuit Court location where the case was heard.
• Search online using the Arkansas Judiciary online database Case Search tool.
• Try a reliable third-party online records website.

Garland County Court Records Search by Name

Garland County provides several options for citizens who require record searches. To perform a record search by name, record seekers may visit the Garland County Circuit Court's location and make a request in person. The request must provide enough relevant information for an accurate search, such as the subject’s name (defendant or plaintiff), the case number, and when the case was heard. Visitors to the courts may also be able to perform record searches using the public terminals provided at the court location.

Record searches by name can also be made online using the Arkansas Judiciary Court Case/Judgment Lookup search tool. This tool allows users to search for court records using an individual’s name or the name of a business. The Garland County Circuit Clerk also operates an Online Records service. The service requires visitors to create an account and allows account holders to search records and submit documents to be recorded electronically.

While looking up/viewing a record may be free, physical copies of documents from the clerk’s office will cost $1.00 per page. Certification of such records will cost the requester $5 per document.

Garland County Courts

The court system in Arkansas consists of two types of courts: Circuit Courts and District Courts. District courts have jurisdiction over most misdemeanor criminal cases and civil claims from under $100 to $2500. Circuit courts maintain general jurisdiction over all major criminal and civil cases plus any cases beyond the jurisdictions of the other courts in the county. Listed below are the locations of the courts in Garland County.

Garland County Circuit Court
501 Ouachita Ave,
Hot Springs, AR 71901
Phone: (501) 622-3630
Fax: (501) 609-9043

Garland County District Court
607 Ouachita Ave,
Hot Springs, AR 71901
Phone: (501) 321-6765
Fax: (501) 321-6764

Garland County District Court Records

The Garland County Circuit Court maintains general jurisdiction over most civil and criminal cases in the county. It also serves as the main trial court for criminal cases and takes up cases above the jurisdiction of the district courts. The following are among the types of cases that the county circuit court handles.

• Criminal court cases(felonies and misdemeanors)
• Civil court cases
• Domestic relations(Family Court)
• Probate court cases
• Juvenile court cases

Records generated from these cases can be obtained from the county circuit court where the case was heard or from the Arkansas Judiciary's online database.

Garland County Criminal Records

Like Garland County arrest records, the county’s criminal records can be obtained by contacting the county sheriff’s office. Record seekers may be able to visit the office or mail a written public records request for criminal records. Requests may be directed to the sheriff’s office at:

Garland County Sheriff's Department
525 Ouachita Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71901
Phone: (501) 622-3660

Garland County also provides access to public records, including records from the sheriff’s office, via its public records online Web Portal. This portal allows users to request public records from the sheriff's office and monitor the status of record requests. When records are ready, requesters will be given the option to download them to a given device.

More comprehensive criminal records, such as criminal background checks, may be obtained from the Arkansas State Police. The state police offer personal search or criminal records inquiries for another person. These online Criminal Background Checks are available on the state police website for a fee.

Garland County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Criminal court case records for Garland County can be looked up at the circuit court. They can be obtained by contacting the county circuit clerk, submitting a record request, or using the public terminals available at the circuit court building. Records of criminal cases tried in Garland County can also be looked up online using the Arkansas Judiciary Court Case/Judgment Lookup. It should be noted that while just viewing records may be free, physical copies, such as photocopies, will normally incur a fee.

Get Garland County Civil Court Records

Civil court records in Garland County will generally consist of claims, judgments, motions, rulings, subpoenas, appeals, and other filed documentation. Interest parties may obtain these records from the county circuit courthouse. Requests for records may be made in person, by mailing, or using public access terminals available at the courthouse. The Garland County circuit clerk also maintains an Online Records database, which requires users to create an account to access and submit records electronically. Record seekers can call the circuit clerk’s office for additional information about requesting records at (501) 622-3630.

Locating Garland County civil court records using resources provided by the Arkansas Judiciary, such as the Court Case/Judgment Lookup, is also an option. Copies of circuit court records obtained from the circuit court clerk cost $1 per page, and certification of a record costs an additional $5.

Garland County Family Court Records

Family Law cases in Garland County are usually heard in the county circuit court. The Garland County circuit clerk is also the clerk for the Domestic Relations court. The domestic court handles cases involving domestic abuse, paternity, divorce and separations, child support, and other types of family-related cases.

Family court records can be obtained by contacting the Garland County Circuit Clerk. Requesters may be able to send a request to the clerk's office by mail or visit the circuit courthouse and make the request in person. Domestic/family court records may also be on the public terminals located in the circuit courthouse.

Family court records may also be available on online databases, such as the Online Records database maintained by the circuit court and the Court Case/Judgment Lookup maintained by the Arkansas Judiciary. For further information and inquiries, records seekers may call the circuit clerk's office ahead of their record request at (501) 622-3630.

Garland County Marriage and Divorce Records

In Garland County, marriage and divorce records are maintained by the Garland County Clerk and the Garland County Circuit Clerk, respectively. Record requests for these can be obtained by simply contacting the correct custodian.

To obtain marriage records, record seekers may submit a Marriage License Copy Request form to the county clerk’s office. The request may be made in person or by mailing the complete form to the office at:

Garland County Clerk
501 Ouachita Avenue, Room 103.
Hot Springs, AR 71901

Marriage records from the county clerk’s office cost $1 per copy And $5 for certified copies. Payment is accepted in money orders during mailed requests and cash during in-person requests. Mailed requests must include a self-addressed and stamped envelope for easy return of the copies.

Divorce records, on the other hand, may be requested from the Circuit Court Clerk of Garland County. Record seekers may visit the circuit clerk’s office and either make their request verbally or search using the public terminals available at the courthouse. They may search for divorce records using the Circuit Court Online Records Database. Although using the database requires creating an account, doing so will allow users to search for records and submit records to the circuit court.

On the state level, information about obtaining both of these records can be obtained from the Certificates and Records section of the Arkansas Department of Health website.

Garland Birth and Death Records

Garland County births and deaths records must be requested from the Vital Records Division of the Arkansas Department of Health. Requests can be directed to any of the Local Public Health Units of the Department of Health, including the Garland County Health Unit. Record seekers should note that birth and death records will only be issued to people on the list of Eligible parties.

Birth and death records can be requested in person, by mail, telephone, or online. The steps to make these requests are given below.

Walk-in/in-person requests

Requests for certified copies of birth and death records can be made by walking into a local health unit or the Arkansas Department of Health vital record division. Requests can be made during office hours, Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Requests made before 4 p.m. will usually be completed on the same day. During the request, customers must show they are eligible to receive the records and provide acceptable identification. Requests received after 4 p.m. may be collected the next day, or customers may request a return by mail.

By Mail

A mailed request can be made by sending in a completed Birth Certificate Application or Death Certificate Application to the Garland County Health Unit or the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records Office at:

Arkansas Department of Health
Vital Records, Slot 44
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205

The completed form should be mailed with copies of Acceptable Identification, and payment in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Arkansas Department of Health.

By Telephone

Birth and death records can be ordered via telephone by calling the toll-free number at (866) 209-9482. The required payment for the certificate plus charges for service fees and shipping options can be made over the phone using a debit or credit card.

Online

Garland County birth and death records can be ordered online using the Arkansas Department of Health Online Service. To prove eligibility, users will be required to provide their name, address, date of birth, and driver’s license number for identity verification. You may also be required to provide appropriate proof of relationship documents. Payment during online orders is made using a valid debit or credit card. Online orders usually take between 7 and 14 business days.

Birth Certificates cost a $12 search fee for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy of the same records, while death records cost $10 for the first copy and $8 for each additional copy. Orders made online incur an additional $5 processing fee and a $1.85 identify verification fee. Customers should note that the search and processing fees are non-refundable and are kept even if no record is found or copies are made.

Garland County Probate Court Records

The Garland County Circuit Court is in charge of hearing probate court cases in the county. Probate cases generally concern the administration of a deceased estate and involve distributing assets and validating wills. They may also handle issues involving adults and children, such as adoption, guardianship, conservatorship, trusts, etc.

The process for seeking and obtaining probate court records is similar to other civil court cases. Requests can be made at the circuit clerk’s office during office hours or by mailing a written request containing relevant information to the circuit clerk. As with other records, the public terminals may be a good place to do self-research. Record seekers may also try online databases such as the Circuit Court Online Search database and the Arkansas Judiciary Case Search.

The Garland County Clerk also maintains a Probate Department with an online probate ledger where visitors can view probate information.

Garland County Property Records

Garland County property records are records about property and property transactions in the county. They include deeds, mortgages, assessments, trusts, plats, and other property records. These records are maintained by county departments like the Garland County Assessor, County Clerk, and Circuit Clerk.

The Garland County Assessor serves as one of the county's custodians of property records. Record seekers looking for property records may be able to search for real Property Records online using the search feature on the assessor’s office website. The tool provides criteria for users to search for both personal property and real estate records. Anyone with questions about records may contact the assessor's office directly by calling (501) 622-3730.

The Circuit Clerk’s office may also provide access to land records and property as the recorder for property records like deeds and liens. Record seekers may also come to the office in person or use the public terminals for a record search. The Online Search database is another option for seeking records in the custody of the Circuit Clerk.

Garland County Court Records Online

Interest parties also have the option to use third-party websites to access Garland County court records. Arkansascourtrecords.us provides a quick and convenient resource for searching for Garland County court records that are open to the public. This is especially useful for anyone who can not visit the courthouses in person for whatever reason. Third-party websites may provide user-friendly interfaces and search tools that a person can use to access case information by entering criteria such as party names, case numbers, and case dates. There may also be options to copy or download records from the website.