Little River County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Little River County, created in 1867, was named after the river that formed its northern and eastern boundaries. The county has a land area of 531.6 square miles and an estimated population of 12,024 people. Its county seat is Ashdown. The court system in the county comprises the Little River County Circuit Court and the County District Courts. These courts are dedicated to the administration of justice per the rule of law.

The Little River County Circuit Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. It typically handles all cases beyond lesser courts of limited jurisdiction. Criminal cases heard by the Circuit Court are felonies, misdemeanors, and other lesser-included offenses. It has exclusive jurisdiction over civil equity claims. It also shares jurisdiction with State and Local District Courts over civil claims up to $25,000 and $5,000 respectively. In addition, domestic relations, juveniles, and probate matters such as divorce, civil commitments, guardianships, administration of estates, child abuse, and neglect are within its jurisdiction. Little River County is home to two District Courts in Ashdown and Winthrop. These courts have limited jurisdiction over traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal offenses, and small claims. They also handle juvenile cases involving drug offenses, truancy, and curfew violations.

Little River County has an estimated violent crime rate of 18.6 and a property crime rate of 49.1 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. According to the Arkansas Judicial Annual Summary for 2021, a total of 181 criminal cases, 173 civil cases, 91 domestic relations cases, 70 juvenile cases, and 48 probate cases were filed. To ensure transparency, most court records are publicly available in Little River County. Anyone can access records of the Circuit Court by sending a request to the Court's Clerk. Alternatively, requesters may use the Arkansas Case Search Portal. On the other hand, the District Court documents are accessible at the courthouse where the cases were held. However, confidential records such as adoption, mental health evaluation, and personal identifier records are not open to public inspection in Little River County.

In summary, the Little River Circuit Court and the District Courts are dedicated to performing the county government's adjudicatory duties efficiently and without bias. They guarantee the resolution of conflicts in compliance with the law. The public's confidence in the legal system is bolstered by the county's management of court records, which guarantees accessibility and transparency. Also, the county is unwavering in its commitment to upholding the rule of law.