The short answer
Divorce and paternity cases are filed with the Circuit Clerk in your county. Probate and guardianship cases go to the probate clerk, who in most counties is the County Clerk. A few counties do it differently. Crawford and Sebastian, for example, use the Circuit Clerk. If you’re not sure, call the clerk’s office before you file. It takes two minutes and saves you a rejected packet.
Which clerk and which county, by case type
| Case | File with | In which county | Read next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce | Circuit Clerk | The county where you or your spouse lives. If you live in different counties, generally where it was filed first | Where to file for divorce |
| Paternity | Circuit Clerk | The county where the child lives | Paternity |
| Changing a custody or support order | Circuit Clerk | The original case, in the court that issued the order | How to change custody |
| Guardianship of a minor | The probate clerk. Usually the County Clerk, but the Circuit Clerk in some counties | Depends on your situation, so ask the clerk | Guardianship |
| Probate | The probate clerk. Usually the County Clerk, but the Circuit Clerk in some counties | The county where the person who died lived | Probate |
Circuit Clerk, County Clerk, probate clerk: who is who
These are separate jobs, and in some counties one office does both.
- The Circuit Clerk takes filings for the circuit court. That’s where divorce, paternity and custody cases go.
- The County Clerk keeps other county records. In most counties the County Clerk is also the probate clerk, which is the clerk for the probate division of the circuit court. That’s the part of the court that handles estates and guardianships.
- One office, two jobs. In Pulaski County, the Circuit Clerk and the County Clerk are the same office, so everything goes to one counter.
Counties that do it differently
Not every county follows the usual pattern. In these, the Circuit Clerk is the probate clerk:
- Crawford County. The Circuit Clerk’s office keeps the records for the probate division, including estates and guardianships.
- Sebastian County. The Circuit Clerk’s office is the probate clerk and keeps the records for all probate proceedings.
We’ve only checked those two. Other counties may do it differently too. Use the directory below to find both offices for your county, and ask which one takes your filing. Clerks can explain procedure but can’t give legal advice.
You’ll also see a judicial circuit for each county. A judicial circuit groups counties under the same circuit judges. Pulaski and Perry counties, for example, are both in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Find your county
| County | Circuit Clerk office | Phone | Judicial circuit | County Clerk office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 302 S. College, Stuttgart 72042 | 870-659-2098 ext. 1 | Eleventh East | 101 Court Square, DeWitt 72042 870-946-4349 |
| Ashley | 205 East Jefferson, #6, Hamburg 71646 | 870-853-2030 | Tenth | 215 East Jefferson, Hamburg 71646 870-853-2020 |
| Baxter | #1 East Seventh, Suite 103, Mountain Home 72653 | 870-425-3475 | Fourteenth | Not listed in the Arkansas Judiciary directory |
| Benton | 102 NE "A" Street, Bentonville 72712 | 479-271-1015 | Nineteenth West | 215 East Central, Bentonville 72712 479-271-1013 |
| Boone | 100 N. Main Street, #200, Harrison 72601 | 870-741-5560 ext 1 | Fourteenth | 220 North Arbor Drive, Suite 101, Harrison 72601 870-741-8428 Opt. 1 |
| Bradley | 101 East Cedar, Warren 71671 | 870-226-2272 | Tenth | 101 East Cedar, Warren 71671 870-226-3464 |
| Calhoun | P.O. Box 1175, Hampton 71744 | 870-798-2517 | Thirteenth | P.O. Box 1175, Hampton 71744 870-798-2517 |
| Carroll | 210 W. Church Ave., Berryville 72616 44 S. Main St., Eureka Springs 72632 |
870-423-2422 479-253-8646 |
Nineteenth East | 210 West Church Ave, Berryville 72616 870-423-2022 |
| Chicot | 108 Main Street, Lake Village 71653 | 870-265-8010 | Tenth | 108 Main Street, Lake Village 71653 870-265-8000 |
| Clark | 401 Clay Street, Arkadelphia 71923 | 870-246-4281 | Ninth East | 401 Clay Street, Arkadelphia 71923 870-246-4491 |
| Clay | 151 S. Second Street, Piggott 72454 | 870-598-2524 | Second | 151 South 2nd Ave, Piggott 72454 870-598-2813 |
| Cleburne | 301 W. Main St, Heber Springs 72543 | 501-362-8149 | Sixteenth | 300 W. Main Street, Heber Springs 72543 501-362-4620 |
| Cleveland | P.O. Box 368, Rison 71665 | 870-325-6521 | Thirteenth | P.O. Box 368, Rison 71665 870-325-6521 |
| Columbia | 1 Court Square, Magnolia 71753 | 870-235-3700 | Thirteenth | One Court Square, Magnolia 71753 870-235-3774 |
| Conway | 115 S. Moose Street, Morrilton 72110 | 501-354-9617 | Fifteenth | 117 South Moose Street, Morrilton 72110 501-354-9621 |
| Craighead | 511 S. Main Street, Jonesboro 72401 | 870-933-4530 | Second | 511 South Main Street, Jonesboro 72401 870-933-4520 |
| Crawford | 317 Main Street, Van Buren 72956 | 479-474-1821 Opt. 2&4 | Twenty-First | 300 Main Street, Room 7, Van Buren 72956 479-474-1312 |
| Crittenden | 100 Court Square, Marion 72364 | 870-739-3248 | Second | 100 Court Street, Marion 72364 870-739-4494 |
| Cross | 705 East Union, Wynne 72396 | 870-238-5720 | First | 705 E. Union St., Room 8, Wynne 72396 870-238-5735 |
| Dallas | Third and Oak St., Fordyce 71742 | 870-352-2307 | Thirteenth | Third and Oak St., Fordyce 71742 870-352-2307 |
| Desha | P.O. Box 309, Arkansas City 71630 | 870-222-0930 | Tenth | P.O. Box 218, Arkansas City 71630 870-222-0870 |
| Drew | 210 South Main, Monticello 71655 | 870-460-6250 | Tenth | 210 South Main, Monticello 71655 870-460-6260 |
| Faulkner | P.O. Box 9, Conway 72034 | 501-450-4911 | Twentieth | 801 Locust Street, Conway 72034 501-450-4909 |
| Franklin | P.O. Box 1112, Ozark 72949 | 479-667-3818 | Fifth | 211 West Commercial, Ozark 72949 479-667-3607 |
| Fulton | P.O. Box 219, Salem 72576 | 870-895-3310 | Sixteenth | P.O. Box 219, Salem 72576 870-895-3310 |
| Garland | 501 Ouachita, Suite No. 207, Hot Springs 71901 | 501-622-3630 | Eighteenth East | 501 Ouachita, Room 103, Hot Springs 71901 501-622-3610 |
| Grant | 103 W. Center, Room 106, Sheridan 72150 | 870-942-2631 | Seventh | 101 West Center #106, Sheridan 72150 870-942-2631 |
| Greene | 320 West Court Street, Paragould 72450 | 870-239-6330 | Second | 320 West Court Street, Room 102, Paragould 72450 870-239-6311 |
| Hempstead | 200 E 3rd Street, Hope 71801 | 870-777-2384 | Eighth North | P.O. Box 1420, Hope 71802 870-777-2241 |
| Hot Spring | 210 Locust Street, Malvern 72104 | 501-332-2281 | Seventh | 210 Locust Street, Malvern 72104 501-332-2291 |
| Howard | 421 N. Main St., Nashville 71852 | 870-845-7500 Ext. 5 | Ninth West | 421 North Main Street, Nashville 71852 870-845-7500 ext. 2 |
| Independence | P.O. Box 2155, Batesville 72501 | 870-793-8833 | Sixteenth | 192 East Main Street, Batesville 72501 870-793-8828 |
| Izard | P.O. Box 95, Melbourne 72556 | 870-368-4316 | Sixteenth | Izard County Courthouse, Melbourne 72556 870-368-4316 |
| Jackson | 208 Main Street, Newport 72112 | 870-523-7423 | Third | 208 Main Street, Newport 72112 870-523-7420 |
| Jefferson | 101 East Barraque Street, Pine Bluff 71601 | 870-541-5306 | Eleventh West | 101 West Barraque Street, Pine Bluff 71601 870-541-5322 |
| Johnson | P.O. Box 189, Clarksville 72830 | 479-754-2977 | Fifth | P.O. Box 57, Clarksville 72830 479-754-3967 |
| Lafayette | 3rd & Spruce Streets, Lewisville 71845 | 870-921-4878 | Eighth South | #2 Courthouse Square, Lewisville 71845 870-921-4633 |
| Lawrence | 315 West Main, Walnut Ridge 72476 | 870-886-1112 | Third | P.O. Box 526, Walnut Ridge 72476 870-886-1111 |
| Lee | 15 East Chestnut Street, Room 2, Marianna 72360 | 870-295-7710 | First | 15 East Chestnut Street, Marianna 72360 870-295-7715 |
| Lincoln | 300 S. Drew Street, Star City 71667 | 870-628-3154 | Eleventh West | 300 South Drew, Star City 71667 870-628-5114 |
| Little River | 351 North Second, Ashdown 71822 | 870-898-7280 | Ninth West | 351 North Second Street, Ashdown 71822 870-898-7210 |
| Logan | 25 W. Walnut, Paris 72855 | 479-963-2164 | Fifteenth | 25 West Walnut, Room 25, Paris 72855 479-963-2618 |
| Lonoke | P.O. Box 870, Lonoke 72086 | 501-676-2316 | Twenty-Third | 301 North Center Street, Lonoke 72086 501-676-2368 |
| Madison | P.O. Box 626, Huntsville 72740 | 479-738-2215 | Fourth | P.O. Box 37, Huntsville 72740 479-738-2747 |
| Marion | P.O. Box 385, Yellville 72687 | 870-449-6226 | Fourteenth | P.O. Box 385, Yellville 72687 870-449-6226 |
| Miller | 400 Laurel Street, Room 109, Texarkana 71854 | 870-774-4501 | Eighth South | 400 Laurel #105, Texarkana 71854 870-774-1501 |
| Mississippi | 206 North 2nd Street, P.O. Box 1498, Blytheville 72315 | 870-762-2332 | Second | 206 North 2nd Street, Blytheville 72315 870-762-2411 |
| Monroe | 123 Madison Street, Clarendon 72029 | 870-747-3615 | First | 123 Madison Street, Clarendon 72029 870-747-3632 |
| Montgomery | 105 Highway 270 E. #10, Mount Ida 71957 | 870-867-3521 | Eighteenth West | 105 HWY 270 East #10, Mount Ida 71957 870-867-3521 |
| Nevada | 215 East 2nd Street South, Prescott 71857 | 870-887-2511 | Eighth North | 215 East 2nd Street South, Suite 102, Prescott 71857 870-887-2710 |
| Newton | P.O. Box 410, Jasper 72641 | 870-446-5125 | Fourteenth | P.O. Box 410, Jasper 72641 870-446-5125 |
| Ouachita | 145 Jefferson Street, Camden 71701 | 870-837-2230 | Thirteenth | 145 Jefferson St, Camden 71701 870-837-2220 |
| Perry | P.O. Box 358, Perryville 72126 | 501-889-5126 | Sixth | P.O. Box 358, Perryville 72126 501-889-5126 |
| Phillips | 620 Cherry Street, Helena 72342 | 870-338-5515 | First | 620 Cherry #202, Helena 72342 870-338-5505 |
| Pike | P.O. Box 219, Murfreesboro 71958 | 870-285-2231 | Ninth West | 1 Courthouse Square, Murfreesboro 71958 870-285-2743 |
| Poinsett | 401 Market Street, Harrisburg 72432 | 870-578-4420 | Second | 401 Market Street, Harrisburg 72432 870-578-4412 |
| Polk | 507 Church Avenue, Mena 71953 | 479-394-8100 | Eighteenth West | 507 Church Ave, Box 9, Mena 71953 479-394-8123 |
| Pope | 100 West Main, Russellville 72801 | 479-968-7499 | Fifth | 100 West Main Street, Russellville 72801 479-968-6064 |
| Prairie | 200 Courthouse Square, Ste 104, Des Arc 72040 | 870-256-4434 | Seventeenth | 200 Courthouse Square, Ste 104, Des Arc 72040 870-256-4434 |
| Pulaski | 401 West Markham, Suite 100, Little Rock 72201 | 501-340-8500 | Sixth | 401 West Markham, Ste 100, Little Rock 72201 501-340-8500 |
| Randolph | 107 West Broadway, Pocahontas 72455 | 870-892-5522 | Third | 107 West Broadway, Pocahontas 72455 870-892-5822 |
| Saline | 200 North Main, Benton 72015 | 501-303-5615 | Twenty-Second | 215 North Main Street #5, Benton 72015 501-303-5630 |
| Scott | 190 West First Street, Box 10, Waldron 72958 | 479-637-2642 | Fifteenth | 190 W. First St., Box 10, Waldron 72958 479-637-2642 |
| Searcy | P.O. Box 998, Marshall 72650 | 870-448-3807 | Twentieth | P.O. Box 998, Marshall 72650 870-448-3807 |
| Sebastian | P. O. Box 1179, Fort Smith 72901 | 479-782-1046 | Twelfth | 35 South 6th, Room 102, Fort Smith 72902 479-782-5065 |
| Sevier | 115 North 3rd, DeQueen 71832 | 870-584-3055 | Ninth West | 115 North 3rd Street, Room 10, DeQueen 71832 870-642-2852 |
| Sharp | P.O. Box 307, Ash Flat 72513 | 870-994-7361 | Third | 718 Ash Flat Drive, Ash Flat 72513 870-994-7361 |
| St. Francis | 313 South Izard, Forrest City 72335 | 870-261-1715 | First | 313 South Izard, Forrest City 72335 870-261-1729 |
| Stone | 107 West Main, Suite D, Mountain View 72560 | 870-269-3271 | Sixteenth | 107 West Main Street, Ste D, Mountain View 72560 870-269-3271 |
| Union | 101 N. Washington, Suite 201, El Dorado 71730 | 870-864-1940 | Thirteenth | 101 North Washington, El Dorado 71730 870-864-1910 |
| Van Buren | 273 Main Street, Suite 2, Clinton 72031 | 501-745-4140 | Twentieth | 273 Main Street #2, Clinton 72031 501-745-6995 |
| Washington | 280 N College Ave., #302, Fayetteville 72701 | 479-444-1538 | Fourth | 280 North College #300, Fayetteville 72701 479-444-1711 |
| White | 300 N. Spruce, Searcy 72143 | 501-279-6203 | Seventeenth | 315 North Spruce, Searcy 72143 501-279-6204 |
| Woodruff | 500 N. Third Street, Augusta 72006 | 870-347-2391 | First | 500 North 3rd Street, Augusta 72006 870-347-2871 |
| Yell | P.O. Box 219, Danville 72833 | 479-495-4850 | Fifteenth | P.O. Box 219, Danville 72833 479-495-4850 |
Source: the Arkansas Judiciary’s Circuit Clerks and County Judge and County Clerk directories, retrieved October 25, 2026. Addresses and phone numbers change, so confirm with the clerk before you go. Carroll County lists two Circuit Clerk locations. Baxter County has no County Clerk listing in the directory. Where both clerks show the same address and phone, they may be one office, but the directory doesn’t say so. For probate in Sebastian County, the county’s own probate page lists the Circuit Clerk at 901 South B Street, Room 205, Fort Smith 72901 (479-782-1046).
One county in depth: Pulaski
We’ve written a detailed guide for Pulaski County (Little Rock): Pulaski County divorce forms and filing.
When you need a lawyer
Not sure where your case belongs, or whether you have a choice of counties? Ask the clerk’s office how to file, or talk to an attorney, or call Legal Aid if money is tight. Clerk staff can’t give legal advice.