Polk County Divorce Records

Polk County divorce records are held by the Circuit Clerk in Mena and cover cases filed in the 15th Judicial Circuit. This guide explains how to search Polk County divorce records, request copies of divorce decrees, understand what each document contains, and reach the right office whether you plan to visit in person, mail a request, or search online through the state's free case lookup tool.

Polk County Circuit Clerk

The Polk County Circuit Clerk is the official keeper of divorce records in the county. The office is located at 507 Church Street, Mena, AR 71953. You can reach the clerk by phone at (870) 394-8110 during regular business hours. In-person visits are the fastest way to get a certified copy of a divorce decree. Staff can search the case index, pull a file, and issue a copy while you wait in most cases.

To request records by mail, send a written request to the clerk's office with the full names of both parties, the approximate year of divorce, and your return address. Include a check or money order for the copy fee. Processing times for mail requests can run one to two weeks depending on current workload. The clerk does not accept email requests for certified copies.

Polk County is part of the 15th Judicial Circuit. The courthouse in Mena serves the entire county. Note that a courthouse fire in 1883 destroyed earlier records, so surviving divorce records date from 1883 forward. If you are looking for a case from before that year, those documents no longer exist in the county's files.

The Polk County page on the Arkansas Association of Counties site has current contact details for county offices. The image below shows the county's listing, which is a useful starting point when you need to confirm office hours or mailing address before making a trip.

That page is updated regularly and reflects current staff contact information for the clerk's office in Mena.

Search Polk County Divorce Records Online

Arkansas offers a free public case search tool called CourtConnect. You can access it at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. To find divorce cases in Polk County, select Polk from the county dropdown and use case type 14 for Domestic Relations. The system shows case numbers, party names, filing dates, and hearing information. It does not provide images of the actual documents, but it confirms whether a case exists and gives you the case number you need to request a copy.

CourtConnect is maintained by the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts at 625 Marshall St Suite 1100, Little Rock, AR 72201, phone 501-682-9400. The database is updated as clerks enter new filings, so recent cases appear quickly. Older cases may not be in the online system, especially those filed before electronic records were kept. For older filings you will need to contact the clerk directly.

The search is free. No account is needed. Results are public under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, ACA § 25-19-105, which makes court records open to any person who asks.

Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate

There are two very different documents people refer to when they talk about Polk County divorce records. Knowing which one you need saves time and avoids a wasted trip.

A divorce decree is the full court order signed by the judge. It is filed with and kept by the Polk County Circuit Clerk. The decree contains the names of both parties, the grounds for divorce, the date the divorce was granted, and any orders about property, debts, and if children were involved, custody and support arrangements. The decree is a public record. Anyone can request a copy from the clerk. There is no restriction on who may access it.

A divorce certificate is a short summary document created by the Arkansas Department of Health, not the court. It shows that a divorce occurred but contains far less detail than the decree. Under ACA § 20-18-305, access to divorce certificates is restricted to the parties named in the record, their immediate family members, and authorized legal representatives. If you need proof of a divorce for a routine purpose like a name change or remarriage, the decree from the clerk is usually what you actually need and it is much easier to get.

Arkansas Divorce Law and Grounds

Divorce cases in Polk County are filed under Arkansas law. ACA § 9-12-301 lists the fault-based grounds for divorce in Arkansas. These include adultery, felony conviction, habitual drunkenness, cruel and inhuman treatment, and several others. A party who uses fault grounds must present evidence to the court supporting that ground.

Arkansas also allows no-fault divorce based on an 18-month separation period. Under ACA § 9-12-306, couples who have lived separate and apart for at least 18 consecutive months may seek a divorce without assigning blame to either party. This is the most common route for uncontested cases in Polk County and across the state.

Either ground results in a divorce decree filed with the Polk County Circuit Clerk and accessible to the public. The grounds cited in the decree are part of the public record.

Certified Copies and Fees

The standard fee for a certified copy of a divorce record in Polk County is $10 per certificate. Additional copies of the same record may cost less. The clerk can tell you the exact fee schedule when you call. Payment is accepted in person by cash, check, or money order. For mail requests, send a check or money order made out to the Polk County Circuit Clerk.

If you need a divorce certificate from the state rather than the full decree, contact the Arkansas Department of Health, Vital Records at 4815 W Markham St Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205, phone 501-661-2336 or toll-free 866-209-9482. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can also order through VitalChek online for $10 plus a $5 processing fee and $1.85 ID verification charge. Keep in mind the access restrictions on certificates under state law.

The Polk County Library at (870) 394-2314 may have historical records and newspaper archives that can help verify older divorce cases not yet in the online system.

Legal Help in Polk County

If you need help navigating a divorce case or understanding your rights, several free and low-cost resources serve Polk County residents. Legal Aid of Arkansas provides free civil legal services to qualifying low-income residents. Eligibility is based on income and the nature of the legal problem.

The Arkansas Legal Services Partnership offers plain-language guides on divorce, separation, and annulment that walk through the process step by step. These guides are free and available online. They cover what forms to file, how to serve the other party, and what to expect at a hearing.

For a referral to a licensed family law attorney in the Mena area, contact the Arkansas Bar Association at 400 W Capitol Ave Suite 1100, Little Rock, phone 501-375-4606. The bar runs a lawyer referral service that can connect you with an attorney who handles cases in the 15th Judicial Circuit.

State-Level Resources

Beyond the Polk County Circuit Clerk, several state-level tools can help you find and access divorce records. The CourtConnect portal covers every Arkansas county, so if a case was filed anywhere in the state you can search it from one place. The Arkansas AOC website also has information about court procedures, forms, and how the judicial system is organized across the state's 28 judicial circuits.

The image below shows the Arkansas CourtConnect public access portal, which is the main free search tool for Polk County divorce cases filed in the circuit court system.

CourtConnect lets you search by party name, case number, or attorney across all Arkansas counties including Polk.

For divorce records ordered through the state vital records system, the VitalChek platform shown below is the official online ordering service used by the Arkansas Department of Health.

VitalChek processes orders for divorce certificates on behalf of the Arkansas Department of Health, with results typically delivered within a few business days.

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