Howard County Divorce Records Search

Howard County divorce records are held by the Circuit Clerk in Nashville, Arkansas, with filings on file since the county was formed in 1873. This page covers how to search those records online through CourtConnect, request certified copies from the Nashville courthouse, understand applicable fees, and find free legal resources if you are going through a divorce in the 8th Judicial Circuit.

Howard County Circuit Clerk Office in Nashville, AR

The Howard County Circuit Clerk is at 421 N Main Street, Nashville, AR 71852. The phone number is (870) 845-7500 and the fax is (870) 845-7510. Nashville, Arkansas is the county seat of Howard County in the southwest part of the state. It is worth noting that this Nashville is in Arkansas, not Tennessee. Standard courthouse hours apply, generally Monday through Friday. Call ahead before visiting to confirm hours and to get an estimate of copy fees.

The Circuit Clerk holds all domestic relations filings for Howard County, including divorce decrees, custody orders, property settlement agreements, and post-judgment modifications. Records go back to 1873, when Howard County was carved out of Pike, Polk, Sevier, and Hempstead Counties. Pre-electronic records from the 19th and early 20th centuries are in paper form and may require extra time to locate.

When you contact the office, have the full names of both parties and an approximate year for the divorce. A case number is helpful if you have one. Staff can search by name, but the more details you provide, the faster the search. If a case is older than the mid-1990s, let the clerk know upfront since staff may need to pull physical files from storage.

The Howard County page on the Arkansas Association of Counties site lists current contact information for county offices including the Circuit Clerk. Check that page if you want to confirm the latest contact details before visiting.

The image below is from that county resource page, showing office information for the Howard County Circuit Clerk in Nashville, AR.

If office hours or contact details have changed, the county association page is often updated more quickly than other online sources.

Search Howard County Divorce Cases Online

Arkansas offers free public access to circuit court case information through the CourtConnect portal, which is managed by the Arkansas Administrative Office of Courts. To find Howard County divorce records, select Howard County from the county list and use case type 14 for Domestic Relations. You can search by name or by case number if you have one.

CourtConnect is the fastest free option for locating a case number and confirming that a divorce was filed. The portal shows party names, filing dates, case status, and court events. It does not display the full text of filed documents, but it gives you what you need to then request certified copies from the Circuit Clerk in Nashville.

The system covers most cases filed since the late 1990s. For older records, the online database may not have anything and you will need to contact the courthouse directly. If a search returns no results, try alternate spellings of the party names or contact the clerk's office for help.

The screenshot below shows the CourtConnect public access interface used for looking up circuit court cases across Arkansas, including Howard County filings.

The Arkansas Administrative Office of Courts (501-682-9400) manages CourtConnect and can help if you cannot access the system or cannot find a case you expect to be there.

Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate in Howard County

When people search Howard County divorce records, they often need one of two documents. These come from different agencies, and they are not the same thing. Knowing which one you need before you request it will save you a trip or a mailed payment to the wrong office.

The divorce decree is the full court order signed by the circuit judge. It includes the names of both parties, the grounds for divorce, the date, property terms, and any custody or support arrangements if children were involved. The decree is a public record held by the Howard County Circuit Clerk at 421 N Main Street in Nashville, AR. Anyone can request a copy from the clerk's office, subject to payment of the copy and certification fees.

The divorce certificate is a shorter summary document issued by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). Certificates cost $10 per copy. Under ACA § 20-18-305, access to ADH certificates is restricted to parties, immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with documented need. ADH can be reached at 866-209-9482. Online orders go through VitalChek, which adds fees for processing and identity verification.

How to Get Certified Copies of Howard County Divorce Records

Three options are available for getting a certified copy of a divorce decree from Howard County: visit the courthouse in Nashville, send a mail request, or order the ADH certificate online.

In person is the most direct route. Go to 421 N Main Street in Nashville, AR during business hours. Bring a government-issued photo ID. Give staff the names of both parties and an approximate year or case number. They will pull the file and prepare certified copies. Pay the fee at the counter. Call (870) 845-7500 before visiting to confirm current copy and certification fees, since those can change.

By mail, write to the Howard County Circuit Clerk at 421 N Main Street, Nashville, AR 71852. Include your full name, a contact 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 mail cash. Processing generally takes two to four weeks. Confirm the fee by phone first so you send the right amount.

For the ADH divorce certificate, order through the ADH Vital Records page or call 866-209-9482. In-person service at the ADH Little Rock office is same-day for arrivals before 4:00 PM. Mail and online orders through VitalChek take about five to ten business days.

Arkansas Divorce Law and Howard County Cases

Howard County is in the 8th Judicial Circuit along with Hempstead County and neighboring counties in southwest Arkansas. All divorce cases here follow Arkansas state law. The state allows both fault and no-fault grounds for divorce. Fault grounds are listed in ACA § 9-12-301 and include adultery, cruel treatment, habitual drunkenness, felony conviction, and other defined causes. No-fault divorce requires an 18-month separation period under ACA § 9-12-306.

One spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before filing. After the complaint is filed, a mandatory 30-day waiting period applies before the court can issue a final decree. Courts cannot shorten this period. Cases involving children, disputed custody, or significant shared property typically take longer than the legal minimum. Simple, uncontested divorces can close soon after the waiting period ends.

Howard County was formed in 1873 from Pike, Polk, Sevier, and Hempstead Counties. The Circuit Clerk in Nashville holds records from that year to the present. Older records, particularly those from the 19th and early 20th centuries, are in paper form. Those require either a visit to the courthouse or a written request. Do not expect pre-1990s records to appear in CourtConnect or any online search tool.

Legal Help for Howard County Divorce Cases

If you need guidance on filing for divorce in Howard County or help understanding what the process involves, free resources are available to Arkansas residents.

The Arkansas Legal Services Partnership provides free downloadable forms and plain-language guides for divorce cases. Their forms include the Complaint for Divorce, Financial Affidavit, and the Parenting Plan if children are involved. The guides explain each step of the process in terms that do not require a legal background to follow.

Legal Aid of Arkansas provides free legal representation to qualifying low-income residents. Contact them early if you think you may qualify, since availability can vary and there can be wait times in some regions. For those who do not meet Legal Aid's income guidelines, the Arkansas Bar Association (501-375-4606) offers a lawyer referral service to connect you with private family law attorneys who practice in the 8th Judicial Circuit.

The image below shows the Arkansas Legal Services Partnership site. It is a solid first stop for forms, guides, and general information on how to file for divorce in Arkansas.

Both resources are free to access. Contact Legal Aid directly to find out if you qualify for full legal representation at no cost.

Howard County in the 8th Judicial Circuit

The 8th Judicial Circuit covers Howard County and several other counties in southwest Arkansas. The Circuit Clerk in Nashville maintains all domestic relations records for the county, including divorce decrees, custody modifications, property settlement agreements, and any post-judgment orders. These documents are public records and can be accessed through the clerk's office by anyone who submits a proper request and pays the applicable fee.

The Arkansas Administrative Office of Courts oversees all circuit courts in the state and publishes information about court procedures, forms, and how the circuit system is organized. If you have questions about the 8th Circuit or need information about how a case is processed in Howard County, their office is a useful secondary resource alongside the local Circuit Clerk.

Howard County borders Hempstead, Little River, Pike, Polk, and Sevier Counties. If a divorce case involved parties from more than one county, the filing would be in the county where the parties lived at the time the complaint was filed. Use CourtConnect to search across counties if you are not certain which courthouse holds a particular record.

Nearby Arkansas Counties