Search Cabot Probate Records

Cabot Probate Court Records are filed at the Lonoke County Circuit Court in the town of Lonoke, not in Cabot itself. The Circuit Clerk and the County Clerk work together to take in wills, open estates, and handle guardianships from across the county. You can search Cabot Probate Court Records online through the state CourtConnect tool, visit the clerk in person, or mail a written request for copies. This page lays out how to find a case, what the file holds, and the fees to expect.

Cabot Does Not Run Probate Court

The City of Cabot does not run a probate court. The Cabot District Court at 208 North 1st Street only hears traffic, small claims, and misdemeanor cases. It does not admit wills, open estates, or set up guardianships.

Arkansas Circuit Courts have probate jurisdiction under § 28-1-104. For Cabot, that means the Lonoke County Circuit Court in the city of Lonoke. The County Clerk is clerk to the probate court under § 28-1-106. The clerk files each paper as a matter of record, issues notices, and swears in witnesses when needed.

Which County Handles Cabot Probate Records

Cabot is in Lonoke County. The county seat is Lonoke, about fifteen miles south of Cabot. Lonoke County is part of the 23rd Judicial Circuit along with Saline and Pulaski based divisions in the wider region. For the full guide to the county, see Lonoke County probate records.

The Lonoke County Circuit Clerk is at 301 North Center Street, P.O. Box 870, Lonoke, AR 72086. Phone: (501) 676-2316. The site is at lonokecircuitclerk.com. A view of the clerk home page is shown below.

Start your search on the clerk site at lonokecircuitclerk.com.

The Circuit Clerk page lists forms, fees, and the path for Cabot Probate Court Records requests.

Cabot Probate Court Records Office

The Lonoke County Courthouse holds the Circuit Clerk and the County Clerk. The probate docket is kept here for all Cabot cases. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call ahead if you need a big file pulled.

The Circuit Clerk serves as clerk of civil, domestic relations, criminal, juvenile, and probate courts. The clerk is also ex-officio recorder. That is useful when a probate case ties to a deed or a mortgage. The County Clerk keeps the probate index and collects the filing fee. Probate records go back to 1873 for Lonoke County.

Bring a photo ID. Bring the case number if you have it. If not, bring the decedent's full name and year of death and staff will check the index. Cabot residents should plan for a short drive to Lonoke since filings cannot be made in Cabot.

Search Cabot Probate Court Records Online

CourtConnect is the free state search tool. It is run by the Administrative Office of the Courts. You can search by party name, case number, or case type. Probate cases list the case status, next hearing date, and a full docket of filings.

Start at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. Pick the 23rd Circuit, then Lonoke County. Public access is open to anyone with a web browser. No account is needed. The portal is also linked from caseinfo.arcourts.gov for a fast return visit.

For rules and court notices, the state site at arcourts.gov has the Arkansas Judiciary home page. Full probate document images may need a visit to the clerk or a mail request.

Cabot Probate Court Records Types

A Lonoke County probate file can hold many papers. The case opens with a petition under § 28-40-107. The court admits the will, names a personal representative, and sets deadlines. The rep files an inventory within 60 days under § 28-48-101 and gives notice to creditors. Claims must come within six months of first publication under § 28-40-111. A will must be filed within five years of death under § 28-40-103.

Cabot Probate Court Records often include wills, petitions, letters testamentary, letters of administration, inventories, appraisals under § 28-48-201, creditor claims and orders under § 28-50-201, final accounts under § 28-52-101, and orders of discharge. Guardianship cases add medical statements, guardian ad litem reports, and yearly reports to the court. See § 28-65-101 for rules on appointment and § 28-65-207 for the 20-day notice before a guardianship hearing.

Intestate estates follow § 28-9-203. The homestead allowance is set by § 28-39-101 and the family allowance by § 28-39-201. A determination of heirship case runs under § 28-53-101. Adoption files are sealed by law and are not open to the public.

Cabot Probate Court Records Fees

The standard filing fee for a new probate case is $165. A small estate affidavit under § 28-41-101 runs about $25 to $30 for estates at or under $100,000, not counting the homestead or statutory allowances. Wait at least 45 days after death to file a small estate.

Copy fees at the clerk are set by Arkansas law. Plain copies run $0.25 per page. Certified copies are $5 per document. Letters testamentary and letters of guardianship certified copies are $5 per set. Real estate recording fees are $15 for the first page and $5 for each added page. These often matter when closing an estate that held land.

Request Cabot Probate Court Records

You can request Cabot Probate Court Records in three ways.

In person: drive to 301 North Center Street in Lonoke during office hours. Bring a photo ID and any case info you have. Staff will pull the file. Plain copies often happen that same day. Certified copies take a few more minutes.

By mail: send a letter with the case info, your return address, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check to Lonoke County Circuit Clerk for the copy fees. Mail slows the process, but it works well when a visit is hard.

Online: start at CourtConnect to find the case and pull the docket. Then call the clerk at (501) 676-2316 for copy steps. Email is not a reliable path for certified documents.

Local Help for Cabot Probate Records

Legal Aid of Arkansas covers Lonoke County for low-income residents. They help with small estate affidavits, simple estates, and some guardianships. Reach them online at arlegalaid.org. The Arkansas Bar Association has a lawyer referral service for a short consult with a probate attorney who takes private cases.

For older files, the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock has microfilm of Lonoke County probate and marriage records. Start at arkansasheritage.com. Many files are on FamilySearch, which links to microfilm reels and online indexes. The Arkansas code is online at law.justia.com for all Title 28 rules.

Public Access to Cabot Probate Court Records

Probate files in Lonoke County are public. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and Administrative Order No. 19 back this up. You do not have to be an heir, a lawyer, or a party to view the file. Just walk in, or mail a request.

Some items are held back. Social security numbers, bank account numbers, and the names of minor children are redacted. Medical records in a guardianship may be limited to the parties. Adoption files are sealed by § 9-9-217. The rest of the file stays open for public review.

Lonoke County and Nearby Cities

Cabot is in Lonoke County. See the full county page at Lonoke County probate records. Close-by cities with their own probate pages are listed below.