Hempstead County Divorce Records
Hempstead County divorce records go back to 1818, making this one of the oldest court collections in Arkansas. The Circuit Clerk in Hope handles all domestic relations filings for the 8th Judicial Circuit, and records are available through in-person visits, mail requests, and the free statewide CourtConnect online search portal. This page covers each of those options and explains how to get certified copies, understand the fees, and find legal help if you need it.
Hempstead County Overview
Hempstead County Circuit Clerk in Hope
The Hempstead County Circuit Clerk office is at 400 S Washington Street, Hope, AR 71801. The main phone number is (870) 777-2383 and the fax is (870) 777-4297. The office is open Monday through Friday during standard courthouse hours. Hope is a small city in southwest Arkansas, and the Circuit Clerk here handles all circuit court filings for the county, including domestic relations cases like divorce.
When you contact the office, be ready with the full names of both parties and an approximate year for the divorce. If you have a case number, use it. Staff can search by name, but any extra detail speeds up the process. For older cases, the files may be in paper storage rather than the electronic system, and those take longer to pull than recent digital records. Calling ahead is a good idea if you are researching a pre-1990s case.
The Hempstead County page on the Arkansas Association of Counties website lists current contact details for county offices. That page is a reliable source if you want to verify office information before your visit.
The image below shows the Hempstead County resource page, with contact information for the Circuit Clerk and other county offices in Hope.
Confirm hours by phone before driving to the courthouse, as holiday closures and local schedule changes are not always reflected online in real time.
Search Hempstead County Divorce Cases Online
Arkansas provides free public access to circuit court case data through the CourtConnect portal. To search for divorce cases in Hempstead County, select the county from the dropdown list and use case type 14 for Domestic Relations. You can search by the name of either party or by case number if you have one available.
CourtConnect shows case status, filing dates, party names, and scheduled hearings. It does not display the full text of court documents, but it gives you enough to confirm a case exists, find the case number, and identify what filings were made. From there, you can contact the Circuit Clerk in Hope to request certified copies of the actual divorce decree.
Cases filed before the late 1990s may not appear in CourtConnect, since the system covers the period after electronic records were introduced. If you cannot find a case in the online search, that does not necessarily mean no record exists. It may just mean the filing predates the digital system. For older records, contact the courthouse in Hope directly.
The screenshot below shows the CourtConnect public access portal, which is the main free tool for searching circuit court filings across all Arkansas counties.
The Arkansas Administrative Office of Courts (501-682-9400) manages CourtConnect. They can help if you have trouble using the portal or cannot locate a case you believe should be in the system.
Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate in Hempstead County
Two different documents are involved in most Hempstead County divorce records requests. The divorce decree is the full court order. The divorce certificate is a shorter summary document from the Arkansas Department of Health. They are not the same thing, and they come from different agencies.
The divorce decree is held by the Hempstead County Circuit Clerk. It is the actual court order signed by the circuit judge. It includes the names of both parties, the grounds for divorce, the date, property division terms, and any custody or support arrangements if children were involved. This document is public record. Anyone can request a copy from the clerk, subject to payment of the copy fee.
The divorce certificate is issued by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). It is a short summary, not a full court order. Under ACA § 20-18-305, access to ADH certificates is restricted to parties, immediate family, legal representatives, and others with documented need. The ADH Vital Records phone number is 866-209-9482. Online orders go through VitalChek, which adds processing and identity verification fees on top of the base $10 copy cost.
Note: Many name-change requests and legal filings require the full divorce decree, not just the ADH certificate. Check with the requesting agency or office before you order to make sure you get the right document.
How to Request Certified Copies of Hempstead County Divorce Records
You have three main options for getting certified copies of a Hempstead County divorce decree: visit the courthouse in person, mail a written request to the Circuit Clerk, or order the ADH divorce certificate online.
In person is the most reliable option for speed. Go to 400 S Washington Street in Hope during office hours. Bring a government-issued photo ID. Give staff the names of both parties and the approximate year or case number. They will pull the file and prepare certified copies for you to take home or mail. Ask about the current per-page and certification fees when you call ahead at (870) 777-2383.
By mail, write to the Circuit Clerk at 400 S Washington Street, Hope, AR 71801. Include your name, a phone number, the names of both parties, the approximate date of the divorce, and a check or money order for the estimated fee. Do not send cash. Processing generally takes two to four weeks. Call to get the exact fee before you send payment.
For the ADH divorce certificate, order through the ADH Vital Records page or by calling 866-209-9482. In-person service at the ADH Little Rock office is same-day for arrivals before 4:00 PM. VitalChek online orders take about five to ten business days.
Arkansas Divorce Law and Hempstead County Filings
Hempstead County is in the 8th Judicial Circuit. All divorce cases here follow Arkansas state law. Arkansas allows both fault and no-fault grounds for divorce. Fault grounds are listed in ACA § 9-12-301 and cover adultery, cruel and barbarous treatment, habitual drunkenness, felony conviction, and other specific causes. The no-fault route requires an 18-month separation under ACA § 9-12-306.
One spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before filing. After filing, there is a 30-day mandatory waiting period before the court can issue a final decree. Courts cannot waive this. Uncontested divorces with no children and simple property situations often wrap up soon after the waiting period. Cases with disputes, custody issues, or significant shared assets take longer.
Hempstead County is one of the oldest counties in Arkansas, formed on December 15, 1818, from the original Arkansas County territory. That means the Circuit Clerk holds records going back over 200 years. Cases from the 19th century and early 20th century are in paper form and require an in-person visit or a written request to access. Plan ahead if you are researching historical filings.
Legal Help for Hempstead County Divorce Cases
Several free and low-cost resources are available to Hempstead County residents who need help with a divorce case.
The Arkansas Legal Services Partnership provides free self-help guides and forms for divorce, separation, and annulment. The downloadable forms include the Complaint for Divorce, Financial Affidavit, and, where children are involved, the Parenting Plan and Child Support Worksheet. The site also has plain-language guides that walk through what courts expect at each stage of the process.
Legal Aid of Arkansas provides free legal representation to qualifying low-income residents. If you meet the income guidelines, a Legal Aid attorney can assist with your Hempstead County divorce case at no charge. For those who do not qualify for free help, the Arkansas Bar Association (501-375-4606) runs a lawyer referral service that can connect you with a private family law attorney who handles cases in southwest Arkansas.
The image below shows the Arkansas Legal Services Partnership site, which is a good place to start if you want to understand the process before going to the courthouse in Hope.
Contact Legal Aid early in your case. They screen by income and case type, and there can be wait times depending on demand in your area.
Hempstead County Records and the 8th Judicial Circuit
The 8th Judicial Circuit includes Hempstead County and several neighboring counties in southwest Arkansas. The Circuit Clerk in Hope maintains all domestic relations records for the county, including divorce decrees, custody orders, property settlement agreements, and post-judgment modifications. All of these documents are public court records and can be accessed through the clerk's office.
The Arkansas Administrative Office of Courts oversees all circuit courts in the state and publishes procedural information online. If you have questions about how the 8th Circuit handles divorce cases, their office is a useful contact in addition to the local Circuit Clerk.
Because Hempstead County has records dating back to 1818, it is one of the few counties in Arkansas where you might find court records from the antebellum period. Those oldest records are in paper form and require special handling. The Circuit Clerk's office in Hope can advise on what is available and how to access it if you are doing historical research.