Access Franklin County Divorce Records
Franklin County divorce records go back to 1837 and are maintained by the Circuit Clerk serving both county districts in Ozark, Arkansas. Franklin County is one of the few Arkansas counties with two separate county seats, which affects how divorce proceedings are filed and where records are kept. This guide covers the clerk's office, how the two-district structure works for divorce filings, the free CourtConnect online search, ADH vital records, and legal resources for county residents.
Franklin County Overview
Franklin County Circuit Clerk: Two-District Structure
The Franklin County Circuit Clerk's office is at 211 W Commercial Street, Ozark, AR 72949. Phone is (479) 667-2237 and fax is (479) 667-3129. The Ozark office is in the Southern District. Franklin County also has a Northern District with its seat in Charleston. This two-district setup is relatively uncommon in Arkansas, and it matters for divorce filings.
Divorce proceedings in Franklin County are filed in the district where the parties resided at the time of filing. If a couple lived in the northern part of the county, the case would go to the Charleston district. If they lived in the southern part, it goes to the Ozark district. When you search for a divorce record, you may need to check both districts if you are not certain where the parties lived. Start with the Ozark office at (479) 667-2237. Staff can usually tell you quickly whether the case is in Ozark or whether it was filed in the Charleston district, and they can redirect you accordingly.
Franklin County was created on December 19, 1837, from Crawford County. Records in the clerk's custody run from 1837 to the present. That is nearly 190 years of court records, which means older cases will likely be in physical form only. If you are searching for a case from the 1800s or early 1900s, call the clerk in advance and describe what you are looking for. Staff can give you a realistic picture of what is available and in what form before you visit.
Current contact details for the Franklin County Circuit Clerk are also available at the Franklin County page on the Arkansas Association of Counties website. That page is updated when office information changes and is a reliable place to confirm hours before you call or visit.
The screenshot below shows the Franklin County listing from the Arkansas Association of Counties, which includes the current Circuit Clerk contact details for both districts.
Check that page before visiting Ozark or Charleston, especially if you are not sure which district handled the case you need.
Search Franklin County Divorce Cases Online
The CourtConnect portal, maintained by the Arkansas Administrative Office of Courts, provides free public access to circuit court records for all Arkansas counties, including Franklin County. To search for a divorce case, open CourtConnect, select Franklin County from the county list, and choose case type 14 for Domestic Relations. You can search by either party's name or by case number. Results include filing dates, case status, party names, and hearing information. Document images are not available through the portal. What you get is the case number, which you then take to the Circuit Clerk to request certified copies of the actual decree.
One thing to watch for: because Franklin County has two districts, a search by name may return cases from both districts in the results. The case number will indicate which district it belongs to. The clerk at the Ozark office can help you interpret the results and determine where the physical file is located.
Cases filed before the CourtConnect system went live may not appear in online searches. If you are looking for an older case that does not show up, the Circuit Clerk maintains physical indexes that can be searched manually. Call (479) 667-2237 to ask about the availability of records from a specific time period before making the drive to Ozark.
The Arkansas Administrative Office of Courts at 625 Marshall Street Suite 1100, Little Rock, AR 72201 (phone: 501-682-9400) manages the CourtConnect system. Technical issues or questions about the portal can be directed to their office. CourtConnect is free to use and requires no account or login.
Decree and Certificate: Franklin County Divorce Records
Two different documents come up when people search for Franklin County divorce records. They are not the same, come from different offices, and serve different purposes. Getting clear on which one you need before you make any requests is worth a few minutes of thought.
The divorce decree is the full court order. The judge signs it to legally end the marriage. The decree sets out all the terms: property division, debt responsibility, custody and visitation arrangements, child support amounts, and any alimony. This document is on file with the Franklin County Circuit Clerk. If you need to prove the specific terms of a divorce settlement, enforce any part of the agreement, deal with a pension or retirement account split through a qualified domestic relations order, or present the order to a court or government agency, you need a certified copy of the decree from the Circuit Clerk. The clerk charges per-page copy fees plus a certification fee. Ask about current rates when you contact the office.
The divorce certificate is a short summary document issued by the Arkansas Department of Health. Under ACA § 20-18-305, ADH limits access to direct parties, close family members, legal representatives, and others with a documented legal need. The certificate only confirms that a divorce occurred and identifies the parties and date. It does not include settlement terms or custody details. To order an ADH certificate, contact Vital Records at 4815 W Markham Street Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205. Phone: 501-661-2336 or toll-free 866-209-9482, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Fee is $10 per copy. You can also order online through VitalChek.
If you need multiple certified copies of the decree, ordering them all at once from the Circuit Clerk is more efficient than requesting them one at a time. Courts, banks, and other agencies often each want their own certified copy rather than photocopies of a certified original.
Arkansas Law and Franklin County Divorce Filings
All divorce cases in Franklin County follow Arkansas state law. Under ACA § 9-12-301, Arkansas recognizes both no-fault and fault-based divorce. No-fault requires an 18-month separation period. Fault grounds include adultery, willful abandonment, and other circumstances defined in the statute. Under ACA § 9-12-306, at least one party must have been an Arkansas resident for 60 days before filing.
In Franklin County, the district where the parties resided determines which courthouse handles the filing. Both the Ozark and Charleston districts are part of the 12th Judicial Circuit. Once a case is filed, the clerk assigns a case number. That number tracks the record from initial filing through all hearings to the final signed decree. After the decree is entered, it becomes a permanent public record accessible under ACA § 25-19-105, Arkansas's Freedom of Information Act for court records. The clerk can tell you whether any portion of a specific case has been sealed, which can happen for parts of records involving minor children.
Legal Resources for Franklin County Residents
Free and low-cost legal resources are available to people in Franklin County dealing with divorce.
The Arkansas Legal Services Partnership provides a free online guide to divorce, separation, and annulment under Arkansas law. It covers the process in plain language, from filing to final decree, including what forms are needed and what to expect at hearings. Reading this before contacting an attorney can help you understand what questions to ask and what the process will look like.
Legal Aid of Arkansas offers direct legal help to qualifying low-income residents. Cases involving children, domestic violence, or complex property issues are the types Legal Aid handles. They serve residents across western Arkansas, and Franklin County is within their service area.
For private legal representation, the Arkansas Bar Association lawyer referral service can help you find a family law attorney in the Ozark or Fort Smith area. Initial consultations are often low cost and can help you decide how much legal help your case actually needs.
How to Request Franklin County Divorce Records
In person at 211 W Commercial Street in Ozark during weekday business hours is the most direct option. Bring a photo ID and have the case details ready. For cases in the Southern District, staff can search and produce copies on site. If the case is in the Northern District, the clerk will redirect you to Charleston. Calling ahead to confirm which district the case is in can save you an extra trip.
By mail is available if you cannot visit in person. Write to the Franklin County Circuit Clerk at 211 W Commercial Street, Ozark, AR 72949. Include full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, and a return address. Enclose payment for estimated fees. Call (479) 667-2237 or fax (479) 667-3129 to confirm current fee amounts before mailing. Allow one to two weeks for mail requests to be processed.
For ADH divorce certificates, use the contact details listed above or order online through VitalChek. Standard ADH mail requests can take several weeks. VitalChek offers expedited options for an extra fee if timing is a concern.