Independence County Court Records

The Circuit and District Courts are the custodians of Independence County court records. These records are official documents providing detailed information on civil, criminal, and probate proceedings. They typically contain court information like:

• Case summary (case ID, filing date, court’s name, case type, and status)
• Case participants (name, type, and alias)
• Case events (date, time, event, room, location, and judge)
• Offenses (offense, plea, disposition, disposition date, age at offense, offense date and detail statute, level, and plea date)
• Sentences (sentence, length, suspended length, served, start date, signed date, sentence detail, and probation date)
• Docket entries (filing date, description, docket detail, name, and document)

An Independence County court record ensures accountability, transparency, and access to justice. It is also helpful to researchers, attorneys, and case parties as it supports case research, serves as evidence, and verifies legal outcomes.

Are Court Records Public in Independence County?

The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) guarantees citizens access to records held by Independence County Courts. These court records are open to inspection and copying during regular business hours. However, Independence County Courts restrict the release of some records due to their private nature. Under the A.C.A. § 25-19-105, the following court records are not part of Independence County public records:

• Adoption records
• Grand jury minutes
• Unpublished drafts of judicial or quasi-judicial opinions and decisions
• Unpublished memoranda, working papers, and correspondence of Supreme Court Justices and Court of Appeals Judges.

Independence County Court Records Search

The easiest way to find Independence County court records is electrically through the Arkansas Case Search portal. Enter a name, case ID, or citation number in the appropriate search box to locate the desired record. Alternatively, individuals can visit the courthouse to perform court records searches.

Independence County Courts

The Independence County court structure consists of a Circuit and a District Court. Below is a directory of the locations of these courts:

Independence County District Court
549 W. Main
Batesville, AR 72501
Phone: (870) 793-8817
Fax: (870) 793-8875

Independence County Circuit Court
192 E. Main Street
Batesville, AR 72501
Phone: (870) 793-8833

Independence County Criminal and Civil Records

The Circuit and District Courts both have criminal and civil divisions that handle all criminal and civil cases in Independence County. The District Court specifically handles civil cases with controversy amounts up to $25,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases. There are two major ways of finding civil and criminal court records in Independence County:

• Online: Individuals can use the Arkansas Case Search portal to find civil and criminal records for free. They can search by name, case ID, or citation number.
• In-person: Requesters can visit the court where the case was filed to request copies of civil or criminal records. The staff will provide a request form for the customer to complete. They will calculate the copy fees after locating the record.

Independence County Marriage and Divorce Records

Residents can find marriage and divorce records online, by phone at (866) 209-9482, mail, or in person at the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records Office. The cost of these records is $10 per copy, payable by cash, credit or debit cards, or a check or money order, depending on the order method.

The Vital Records Online Service is the only portal available for online requests. However, extra charges are required for such services. Mail customers should submit a completed Marriage Coupon Application (English or Spanish) or Divorce Coupon Application (English or Spanish) to the office. The form should be accompanied by a check or money order and a copy of an acceptable ID. Individuals who want to submit their requests in person should visit the office during business hours. Those who get to the office after 4:00 p.m. can pick up their record the following day or ask the staff to mail it to them.

Independence County Birth and Death Records

The Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records Division maintains vital records such as birth and death certificates. These certificates only become public after 100 years. Confidential Independence County vital records are only available to the following individuals:

• The subject of record aged 16 and older (for Independence County birth records)
• Immediate family members (parents, child, spouse, grandchild, and maternal grandparents)
• Guardian of the person named on the Independence County birth certificate
• Informant, funeral home, and beneficiary (for death records only)

The Division charges $12.00 for the first copy of a birth record and $10.00 for each additional copy. The fees for death records are lower, $10 for the first copy and $8.00 for each additional copy. Eligible individuals can order birth or death certificates through the following methods:

• Online: Customers can order copies of birth or death records through the Vital Records Online Service. This service attracts an extra $5.00 processing fee and a $1.85 non-refundable identity verification fee. The acceptable form of payment is debit or credit card (Discover, Mastercard, American Express, or Visa). The turnaround time for online requests is between 7 and 14 business days.
• Telephone: The Division accepts birth and death records requests by phone at (866) 209-9482. Customers can pay their fees by credit or debit cards.
• By mail: Individuals can mail a Birth or Death Application Form, a check or money order, and an acceptable ID to the Division to obtain certified copies of the record. The processing time is between 10 and 14 days. The mailing address is:

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

• Walk-in: Applicants can visit the Arkansas Department of Health’s vital records office with their valid IDs from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Same-day services are available to customers who arrive by 4:00 p.m. Customers can pay copy fees by cash, check, credit or debit cards, or money order.

Independence County Property Records

Independence County property custodians (Assessor, Tax Collector, Circuit Clerk, and Treasurer) make records such as deeds, property taxes, mortgages, financing statements, liens, bonds, and plats available to members of the public upon request. They provide access to these records at their offices during business hours. Individuals interested in obtaining copies of property records must have basic information about the property to help locate the record. A fee would also be required before the record is released to them. Customers who cannot visit any of the custodian offices can use the third-party online portals available on the Assessor and Tax Collector’s websites to find property information for free. The search criteria are name, taxpayer ID, parcel/assessment number, or mailing address.

Independence County Court Records Online

Individuals can access Independence County court records through third-party websites like arkansascourtrecords.us. Locate the website’s search feature and conduct a search by name or case number. Users should review the results returned after the search to locate the appropriate court record. Access to full court records requires a small fee, but most platforms offer limited information for free. Users should ensure to verify the accuracy of all information retrieved from third-party sites since they may contain incomplete data.