Clark County Bankruptcy Records
Clark County bankruptcy records are filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Arkansas and are publicly accessible through PACER. This page explains how to search case records, what information these records contain, how to reach the Clark County Circuit Clerk in Arkadelphia, and what state court resources are available for related record searches in this county.
Clark County at a Glance
Clark County Bankruptcy Court and Where Filings Go
Clark County falls under the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The main courthouse is at 30 South 6th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901, phone 1-833-853-0345. The Fayetteville divisional office at 35 E. Mountain Street, Room 316, Fayetteville, AR 72701 also handles Western District cases. Cash is not accepted in Fayetteville. Mail payments to Fort Smith. The Western District also maintains divisional offices in Hot Springs and El Dorado, which may serve some cases from southern Arkansas counties like Clark.
The Western District handles all major bankruptcy chapters. Chapter 7 is the most common type and provides a discharge of most unsecured debts. Chapter 13 allows a debtor to keep property and repay debts over three to five years under a court-approved plan. Chapter 11 is for business reorganizations or high-debt individual cases. Chapter 12 is available to family farmers and fishermen. Filing fees are set by federal law and differ by chapter. The current fee schedule is posted on the court's website.
Attorneys must file electronically through CM/ECF. Pro se filers must submit paper documents to the court. The clerk's office at the courthouse cannot give legal advice and will not tell you which chapter to file under. For guidance, contact a bankruptcy attorney or a legal aid organization serving Clark County and the surrounding region.
How to Search Clark County Bankruptcy Records Through PACER
PACER provides public access to all federal court records, including bankruptcy cases from Clark County. To start, register for a free account at pacer.gov. After registering, log in and go to the Western District of Arkansas Bankruptcy Court. Search by debtor name, the last four digits of their Social Security number, or the case number. Results show the complete docket, all filed documents, the creditor list, and the final case status.
The per-page fee is $0.10. Accounts with under $30 in quarterly charges are not billed. Most casual searches stay below this limit. PACER is available online at any hour. If you want to check multiple cases, downloads can be done efficiently and saved locally. Credit card registration is required, but charges only apply if you exceed the quarterly threshold.
For cross-court searches, use the PACER Case Locator. This tool searches all federal courts by name. It shows you which court filed the case, the case number, and the date. You can then pull the full record from that court's PACER system. For phone access, call the Multi-Court Voice Case Information System at 1-866-222-8029. The system runs 24 hours a day and provides basic case details for free.
Clark County Circuit Clerk and Local Court Records
The Clark County Circuit Clerk maintains state court records for the 8th Judicial District North. The clerk handles civil cases, criminal cases, domestic relations matters including divorce and custody, juvenile cases, and probate filings. The clerk also serves as recorder and keeps real estate records, deeds, mortgages, and liens for Clark County. These records are separate from federal bankruptcy filings but are often connected. Liens and judgments from state court frequently appear in a debtor's bankruptcy schedule of liabilities.
The Circuit Clerk is Brian Daniel. The County Clerk is Tracy Pruitt. The courthouse is at 401 Clay Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. Circuit Clerk phone: (870) 246-4281. County Clerk phone: (870) 246-4491. The Clark County government website is clarkcountyar.gov. The Circuit Clerk page at clarkcountyar.gov/circuit-clerk has forms, contact details, and record request information.
The Clark County Circuit Clerk website provides forms, office contact information, and record access details for the Arkadelphia courthouse.
Clark County Government and Online Record Access
The Clark County Government portal at clarkcountyar.gov provides contact details for all county departments. The site links to both the Circuit Clerk and the County Clerk offices, making it easy to find the right office for each type of record. For marriage licenses, voter registration, and probate court records, contact the County Clerk at (870) 246-4491. For civil, criminal, and domestic relations records, contact the Circuit Clerk at (870) 246-4281.
The Clark County Government portal links to circuit and county clerk offices and provides department contact information for the Arkadelphia courthouse.
The Arkansas state court portal, CourtConnect, provides free public access to Clark County circuit court case records. You can search by party name or case number. Results include case summaries, filing dates, and docket entries. CourtConnect covers civil, criminal, probate, and domestic relations cases. It does not include federal bankruptcy records. Use PACER for bankruptcy searches. The County Clerk's website at clarkcountyar.gov/county-clerk provides additional information about county-level records and probate filings.
Clark County Bankruptcy Filing Fees and Exemptions
Bankruptcy filing fees in the Western District of Arkansas are set by federal law. Chapter 7 totals $338 in filing fees. Chapter 13 totals $313. Chapter 11 totals $1,738. Filers with incomes below 150% of the federal poverty level may apply for a Chapter 7 fee waiver. The court may also allow installment payments for Chapter 7 filers who cannot pay the full fee at once. Fee waiver and installment payment forms are available at the courthouse or on the court's website.
Arkansas lets filers choose between state and federal bankruptcy exemptions. The homestead exemption under state law protects a primary residence valued up to $2,500 outside of city limits (up to 160 acres) or up to $2,500 inside city limits (up to one acre). Additional personal property exemptions cover clothing, retirement accounts, tools of the trade, and limited household goods. Filers must choose either the full set of Arkansas exemptions or the full federal exemption schedule. The two sets cannot be mixed.
Nearby Counties
Clark County is in south-central Arkansas. Bankruptcy records for neighboring counties can be found through their individual pages.