Lincoln County Dissolution of Marriage Records
Lincoln County dissolution of marriage records are filed with the Circuit Clerk in Star City and go back to 1871. These public court records cover divorce decrees, petitions, and related case documents for marriages legally ended in Lincoln County. The Circuit Clerk's office handles all filings and maintains the official record set. Certified copies are available by request in person or by mail. Arkansas CourtConnect also provides online case access for many Lincoln County proceedings, which makes it easier to search without a trip to the courthouse.
Lincoln County Overview
Lincoln County Circuit Clerk
The Circuit Clerk for Lincoln County is located at 300 South Drew Street, Star City, AR 71667. You can reach the office by phone at (870) 628-3154. Regular courthouse business hours apply, though it is always a good idea to call ahead if you plan to visit or send a mail request. The clerk maintains all civil court records, including dissolution of marriage filings, and staff can help you identify which documents are in the file and what the copy fees will be.
Lincoln County has two courthouse service areas. The main office in Star City handles most case filings, but there is also a location serving the Gould area in the southern part of the county. If your case was filed in connection with a southern Lincoln County address, it may be worth confirming the correct location when you contact the clerk. Most records are centrally filed in Star City regardless of which part of the county the parties live in.
To request a certified copy of a divorce decree from this office, you will need the names of both parties and the approximate year the case was filed. The standard certified copy fee in Arkansas is $5 per page. A $10 certificate from the Arkansas Department of Health is required for some official purposes, such as changing a name on a federal document. The clerk can help you confirm which documents you need for your specific situation.
Search Lincoln County Dissolution Records Online
Arkansas CourtConnect gives you remote access to Lincoln County case records including dissolution of marriage filings. The system is free to use and does not require an account for basic searches. You can search by party name, case number, or filing date. Visit caseinfo.arcourts.gov to run a search. Case detail views show the parties involved, the filing date, hearing dates, and the current status of the case.
Keep in mind that CourtConnect does not include scanned document images for every case or every county. For older records, especially those filed before the court system moved to electronic records, you may need to contact the clerk directly or visit the courthouse. Lincoln County records go back to 1871, so historical dissolution cases will generally require an in-person or mail request.
The genealogy resource at raogk.org also indexes some historical Lincoln County records that can help narrow a search before you contact the courthouse.
Visit the Lincoln County genealogy records page to access historical index data.
This resource can help identify approximate filing dates for older cases before submitting a formal records request to the Circuit Clerk.
Filing for Dissolution of Marriage in Lincoln County
To file for dissolution of marriage in Lincoln County, at least one spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before filing, as required under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-303. You file the petition at the Circuit Clerk's office in Star City. The filing fee is approximately $165, though this can vary depending on whether children are involved or additional motions are filed. You will also need to pay a $10 fee to the Arkansas Department of Health for the official divorce certificate that is recorded at the state level.
Arkansas is not a no-fault divorce state for all purposes. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-301, recognized grounds include general indignities under subsection (b)(3)(C) and an 18-month separation period under subsection (b)(5). The separation ground is the closest thing Arkansas has to no-fault. After the divorce is granted, there is a 30-day waiting period before the decree becomes final under § 9-12-307(a)(1)(B).
If you need legal help and cannot afford a private attorney, Arkansas Legal Services provides assistance through their statewide intake line at (501) 376-3423. The AR Law Help website at arlawhelp.org also has plain-language guides on how the divorce process works in Arkansas.
Arkansas Law and Record Access Rules
Dissolution of marriage records in Arkansas are court documents subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105 and Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19. Both of those rules govern public access to court records. Most dissolution case documents are public records once filed, though some information may be sealed by court order.
Vital records related to divorce, specifically the state-level divorce certificate recorded with the Arkansas Department of Health, are restricted under § 20-18-305. Those certificates become public records after 50 years. The court records themselves, including the decree and the case file, are typically accessible sooner through the Circuit Clerk or CourtConnect.
Note: The Arkansas Department of Health maintains a statewide index of divorce records separate from the court file. For a state-level divorce certificate, contact ADH at 4815 West Markham St, Slot 44, Little Rock, AR 72205, or call 800-462-0599.
What Lincoln County Divorce Records Contain
A dissolution of marriage case file in Lincoln County typically includes the petition for divorce, the response from the other party (if any), any temporary orders issued during the case, and the final decree of divorce. The decree is the key document. It states that the marriage is legally dissolved and covers any agreements on property division, spousal support, child custody, and child support if applicable.
Some files also contain financial affidavits, parenting plans, settlement agreements, and attorney filings. Not every case has all of these documents. An uncontested case where both parties agree on all terms will usually have a shorter file than a contested case that went to a hearing. If you are looking for a specific piece of information, the clerk can often tell you whether it appears in the file before you pay for copies.
When searching older Lincoln County records, keep in mind that records from 1871 through the mid-twentieth century exist only in paper form. These are stored at the courthouse and are not available through CourtConnect. Researchers and family members seeking historical dissolution records should contact the clerk directly to arrange access.
Nearby Counties
If you are unsure which county handled a particular case, it may help to check nearby jurisdictions. Lincoln County borders several other Arkansas counties that maintain their own dissolution of marriage records.