Access Boone County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Boone County dissolution of marriage records are held at the Circuit Clerk's office in Harrison. Court records go back to 1869, and divorce records are available from January 1923. If you need to find a dissolution case, get a certified copy of a final decree, or check the status of an active filing, the Boone County Circuit Clerk handles all of that. This page explains how to search online, what fees apply, where the courthouse is, and what rules govern access to these records.

Boone County Circuit Clerk Office

The Circuit Clerk for Boone County is Crystal Graddy. The office is at 100 North Main Street, Suite 200, Harrison, AR 72601. Two phone lines are available: (870) 741-5560 and (870) 741-5760. Fax: (870) 741-9724. Email: crystalbooneclerk@windstream.net. The Circuit Clerk's office handles all dissolution of marriage filings, court orders, final decrees, and case records for Boone County.

One thing worth noting: the clerk's office does not provide blank paperwork for dissolution filings. If you need forms to file your own case, you'll have to find them elsewhere. The AR Law Help site is the recommended source for self-help forms. Do not expect to walk in and get blank forms from the clerk's counter.

The court has two active divisions handling family and juvenile matters. Division 1 (Judge Brueggemann) holds pretrial and sentencing sessions on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 9 a.m. Division 3 (Judge Schrand) covers the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 9 a.m. Dissolution cases are assigned based on the regular docket schedule. If you have an active case, your attorney or the clerk can tell you which division has your case.

Searching Boone County Dissolution Cases Online

The Boone County Circuit Clerk website at boonecourtclerk.org is the primary online resource for dissolution of marriage records in this county. It provides contact information, office hours, and information about available records. Check there first before calling or visiting.

The Family and Juvenile section of the Boone County clerk site at boonecourtclerk.org/family/juvenile covers family court cases including dissolution of marriage. This is a useful page if you want to understand how family cases are handled in Boone County before you file or search for records.

For statewide case searches, the Arkansas Judiciary CourtConnect portal at caseinfo.arcourts.gov covers Boone County. You can search by name, case type, or case number for free. Dissolution cases filed in Boone County should appear in CourtConnect, though very old cases may not be fully indexed online.

A genealogy and records resource at raogk.org/arkansas/boone-county/ also provides information about Boone County court records and can help locate older dissolution filings. This is especially useful for historical research.

Boone County Dissolution of Marriage Filing Fees

The filing fee to open a dissolution or separation case in Boone County is $221, plus any applicable service fees. This is higher than the statewide baseline of $165 at some counties, so factor that into your budget. Service of process, if needed, adds to the total. Motions and additional hearings may also incur fees as the case proceeds.

Certified copies of final decrees cost $5 per copy, plus $0.25 per page. To request a copy, contact the clerk at (870) 741-5560 or (870) 741-5760. Have the full names of both parties and the approximate filing year ready. If you know the case number, that will make the search faster.

If you cannot afford the filing fee, you can ask the clerk about a fee waiver. You'll need to fill out an affidavit of indigency showing that you lack the means to pay. The court reviews these requests on a case-by-case basis.

For a summary record, the Arkansas Department of Health maintains divorce certificates going back to 1923. Contact ADH Vital Records at 4815 West Markham St, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205, phone 800-462-0599, fee $10. Note that the ADH certificate is a brief summary, not the full dissolution decree.

Boone County Dissolution Records: History and Scope

Boone County's court records go back to 1869. Divorce records specifically begin in January 1923. Cases filed before 1950 are held at the county circuit clerk's office. For cases after 1950, records may also be available through the Arkansas Department of Public Health, which maintained parallel records during that period.

This split in record-keeping can cause some confusion. If you're searching for a dissolution from the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s, it may be worth checking both sources. The Circuit Clerk holds the full case file and decree. The ADH holds a certificate-level record. Neither fully replaces the other, but together they cover the record from both angles.

For dissolution records in Boone County prior to 1923, you may need to search the general civil court records at the clerk's office directly. Those older cases may not be indexed or digitized. The clerk's staff can help you search by approximate date or party name if you don't have a case number.

Arkansas Dissolution Law as It Applies in Boone County

Arkansas requires grounds for dissolution of marriage under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-301. The state is not no-fault. In Boone County, as in every Arkansas county, the most commonly pleaded grounds are general indignities under § 9-12-301(b)(3)(C) and 18-month separation under § 9-12-301(b)(5). Most uncontested cases use one of these. Contested cases may use other grounds listed in the statute.

Residency under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-303 requires at least one spouse to have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before the complaint is filed. After filing, a 30-day waiting period under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-307(a)(1)(B) must pass before the court can grant a final decree. This period is mandatory and cannot be waived. Boone County is in the 14th Judicial District along with Baxter, Marion, and Newton counties. Judges in the district rotate and may hear cases across counties.

Public Access Rules for Boone County Dissolution Records

Dissolution of marriage records in Boone County are public records under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105. Records less than 50 years old are restricted to parties and immediate family under Ark. Code Ann. § 20-18-305. After 50 years, those records are fully public. Administrative Order No. 19 also applies, which can restrict certain documents within a case file even if the overall case is accessible.

Third parties looking for dissolution records from the past 50 years will generally not be able to get full copies without a court order or a relationship to one of the parties. If you're a party to the case or an immediate family member, you can request records from any period. Bring photo ID when you visit the clerk's office.

Legal Help for Boone County Dissolution Cases

Legal Aid of Arkansas serves Boone County at (870) 972-9224. The Center for Arkansas Legal Services is at (501) 376-3423. Both organizations offer free help to those who meet income guidelines. The AR Law Help website at arlawhelp.org has self-help forms and guides for handling a dissolution case without an attorney. This is the right starting point for simple, uncontested dissolutions where both parties agree on all issues.

Remember that the Boone County Circuit Clerk does not provide blank forms. Forms must come from arlawhelp.org or another legal forms source. Once you have your completed forms, the clerk's office will accept them for filing.

Boone County Dissolution Records: Key Online Resources

The Boone County Circuit Clerk website is the starting point for dissolution of marriage records in Harrison. Visit boonecourtclerk.org for contact information, office hours, and record search options.

The site includes everything you need to know about the clerk's office before making a visit or a call to request dissolution records.

The Family and Juvenile court page at Boone County explains how family cases including dissolution of marriage are handled locally. Visit boonecourtclerk.org/family/juvenile to learn more about how dissolution cases proceed in this county.

This page covers how family court cases are structured in Boone County, including dissolution filings and the court's two active divisions.

The Arkansas Judiciary CourtConnect portal lets you search dissolution cases statewide, including Boone County. Visit caseinfo.arcourts.gov to search by name or case number at no cost.

CourtConnect is a free tool that covers all Arkansas counties and is useful for confirming case numbers, checking case status, and finding basic dissolution case information before requesting certified copies.