Paragould Probate Court Records

Paragould Probate Court Records are filed with the Greene County Circuit Court in Paragould, Arkansas. The Circuit Clerk and the County Clerk share space at 320 West Court Street and keep the case files for wills, estates, guardianships, and adoptions. You can look up Paragould Probate Court Records online through the state CourtConnect portal, stop by the clerk in person, or send a mail request for copies. This page shows how to search, what a probate file holds, the fees, and how to get a plain or certified copy.

Paragould Does Not Run Probate Court

The City of Paragould does not run a probate court. No city court in Arkansas has this power. The Paragould District Court at 320 West Court Street, Room 227, only hears traffic, small claims, and city ordinance cases. It does not admit wills or open estates.

All Paragould probate files start at the Greene County Circuit Court. The Circuit Court is the court of general jurisdiction under § 28-1-104 and handles wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, and adoptions for the whole county. The County Clerk serves as clerk to the probate court under § 28-1-106 and files each paper as a matter of record. If you are not sure which office you need, ask for the probate clerk by name.

Small claims and traffic cases go to the district court. Probate cases do not.

Which County Handles Paragould Probate Records

Paragould sits in Greene County, and Greene County is the place where a Paragould estate is probated. The county seat is Paragould itself, so the courthouse is close by. Greene County is part of the Second Judicial Circuit along with Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Mississippi, and Poinsett.

For more on the county and the probate process, see our full page on Greene County probate records. The county page lists the Circuit Clerk, the County Clerk, office hours, and a few handy forms. It also covers what to do if the decedent owned land in more than one county.

You can reach the Greene County Circuit Clerk by phone at (870) 239-6330 and the County Clerk at (870) 239-6311. The County Clerk site is at greenecounty.arkansas.gov. A view of that page is below.

Browse the County Clerk home page at greenecounty.arkansas.gov before you call.

The County Clerk page points you to probate intake, marriage records, and fee details used for Paragould Probate Court Records.

Paragould Probate Court Records Office

The Greene County Courthouse is at 320 West Court Street in Paragould, AR 72450. The Circuit Clerk is in Room 124. The County Clerk is in Room 102. Both rooms serve walk-ins Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lunch hours may vary, so a quick call first can save a trip.

The Circuit Clerk files the case and keeps the master docket. The County Clerk takes the first probate filing and collects the fee. Staff can pull a file, make copies, and point you to the right form. 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.

The Circuit Clerk also records deeds and mortgages as ex-officio recorder. A probate case often ties back to these real estate records, so one stop can solve two searches.

Search Paragould Probate Court Records Online

The fastest way to find a case is the free state CourtConnect portal. The state runs it through the Administrative Office of the Courts. You can search by party name, case number, or case type. Probate cases show up with case status, next hearing date, and a full docket.

Start at caseinfo.arcourts.gov and pick the Second Judicial Circuit, then Greene County. You do not need an account. The case list is free to view. The docket shows each filing, with dates and short notes. Full document images often are not online. For those, you will still need to mail or visit the clerk.

The Arkansas Judiciary main site is a good second stop. Look at arcourts.gov for rules and notices.

Paragould Probate Court Records Types

A Greene County probate file can hold many papers. Each case starts with a petition under § 28-40-107. The court admits the will and names a personal representative. The rep then files an inventory within 60 days under § 28-48-101. Notice to creditors must run, and claims must come in within six months of first publication under § 28-40-111. Proof of will needs at least two attesting witnesses under § 28-40-117.

Paragould Probate Court Records often cover:

• Petitions for probate or letters of administration
• Wills and proof of will
• Letters testamentary or of administration
• Inventories and appraisals
• Creditor claims and responses
• Final accounts and orders of discharge
• Guardianship and conservatorship orders

Intestate estates follow § 28-9-203 for the share each heir gets. The homestead allowance is set under § 28-39-101 and the family allowance under § 28-39-201. A guardianship case runs under § 28-65-101, and notice of the hearing must go out at least 20 days early under § 28-65-207. Adoption files are sealed by law and not open to the public.

Paragould Probate Court Records Fees

The base 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. You must wait 45 days after death to file a small estate.

Copy fees at the Greene County clerk are simple. Plain copies run $0.25 per page. A certified copy is $5 for the first page, with a small add-on per page after. Letters testamentary and letters of guardianship certified copies are $5 per set. To reopen a closed probate case, plan on about $50.

The clerk takes cash, check, or card at the counter. Mail-in requests should include a check payable to the Greene County Circuit Clerk or County Clerk as the case may be. If your bill tops $25, Arkansas law may ask for full payment before the clerk works on it, so send the check up front. Ordering a few extra certified copies costs little and saves a second trip.

Request Paragould Probate Court Records

There are three ways to get Paragould Probate Court Records. Pick the one that fits your need.

In person: walk in to 320 West Court Street during office hours. Ask for probate. Give staff the case name or number. Plain copies often happen that same visit. Certified copies take a few more minutes for the seal.

By mail: send a letter with the case info, your return address, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check for the copy fees. If you do not have the case number, include the decedent's full name and year of death. Staff will search the index. Allow a few weeks for return mail.

Online: start at CourtConnect to find the case. Then call the clerk for copy steps. Not every document in a probate file is online, so full images may still need a mail or walk-in request.

Local Help for Paragould Probate Records

Legal Aid of Arkansas covers Greene County for low-income residents. They help with small estate affidavits and simple guardianships. You can reach them online at arlegalaid.org. The Arkansas Bar also runs a lawyer referral service for a short paid consult with a probate attorney.

For older files, the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock holds microfilm of Greene County probate and marriage records. Start at arkansasheritage.com. Many files are also digitized on FamilySearch. County records run back to 1833, so deep family research is possible.

The Northeast Arkansas Regional Library at 120 North 12th Street in Paragould has a genealogy desk. Staff can help with microfilm, census rolls, and local newspaper runs. Visit nealibrary.org for hours and services. The Greene County Historical and Genealogical Society works with the library on local family records.

Public Access to Paragould Probate Court Records

Probate files in Greene County are open to the public. You do not have to be an heir or a lawyer. 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 papers in a guardianship case may be limited to the parties. Adoption files are sealed by § 9-9-217.

Arkansas law sets this out. The state code is online at law.justia.com. Administrative Order No. 19 from the Arkansas Supreme Court sets the rules for public access to court records. If the clerk says no, ask why and cite the order.

Greene County and Nearby Cities

Paragould sits in Greene County. For the full county guide see Greene County probate records. A close-by city with its own probate page is listed below.