Access Boone County Probate Records

Boone County Probate Court Records cover wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and adoption files. The county clerk at 100 North Main Street in Harrison is clerk to the probate court and keeps every probate file. You can search Boone County Probate Court Records through the statewide CourtConnect tool, walk in at the courthouse, or mail a written request. This page walks through how the office works, what kinds of papers you can find in a case file, the cost of copies, and the best way to get records by mail or online for family, legal, or title use.

Boone County Probate Court Records Office

The Boone County Clerk acts as clerk to the probate court. The office opens, files, and closes each probate case for the county. Staff also issue marriage licenses, keep voter rolls, and record business names. The main office is at 100 North Main Street, Harrison, AR 72601, phone (870) 741-8428.

Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call first with a case name and a likely year of filing. The clerk takes cash, checks, and money orders. Make checks payable to the Boone County Clerk. Visit boonecountyar.com/county-clerk for department info.

The clerk page lists filing services and lets you check current hours before a drive into Harrison.

The Boone County Circuit Clerk sits in the same building at (870) 741-5560. That office keeps civil, criminal, domestic relations, and juvenile files. Visit boonecountyar.com/circuit-clerk for hours and staff contacts.

Search Boone County Probate Court Records Online

The state CourtConnect portal has Boone County probate cases. The tool is free and public. You can search by case number or party name. Results list the case, its type, the next hearing, and every docket entry.

Start at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. Filter to the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit and Boone County. The Arkansas Judiciary home page at arcourts.gov hosts local rules, forms, and a self-help center for filers without a lawyer.

Boone County Probate Court Records Types

The cases at the Boone County Clerk break into a few types. Full estate cases are the core. Each opens with a petition, includes the will and proof of will, and ends with a final accounting. Per § 28-40-103, a will has to be filed within five years of death. Under § 28-40-117, two witnesses are needed to prove the will. The personal representative files an inventory within 60 days per § 28-48-101.

Intestate cases follow § 28-9-203. The court finds the legal heirs and names an administrator to collect, pay, and distribute assets. Creditor claims must come in within six months of first publication per § 28-40-111. Claims are paid by order under § 28-50-201. The estate closes with the final account under § 28-52-101.

Small estate cases use § 28-41-101. The wait is 45 days after death. The fee is $25. The affidavit works for estates at or below $100,000 after you take out the homestead and the allowances. Guardianship rules sit at § 28-65-101, with a 20-day notice under § 28-65-207.

Boone County Probate Probate Court Records Fees

The fee to open a new probate case is $165. Small estates cost $25. Certified copies are $5 each. Plain paper copies run $0.25 per page. Letters testamentary are $5 per set.

Pay at the window with cash, check, or money order. Mail-in payments go to the Boone County Clerk with a self-addressed stamped envelope so the copies can be mailed back. If you plan to close several bank accounts or retitle property, ask for extra letters testamentary at the first trip. The few extra dollars save a second drive to Harrison.

Request Boone County Probate Court Records

You can get copies in one of three ways. Each works for most Boone County cases.

In person at the Harrison courthouse is fast. Staff can pull the file and make copies while you wait. By mail is best for folks who live far away. Write a short letter, list the case info, and include a check and a return envelope. Online through CourtConnect is the best first step for anyone who wants to know what is in the file before they request a copy.

Historic Boone County Probate Records

Boone County was formed in 1869 from parts of Carroll and Marion counties. The first probate cases ran that same year. The clerk has kept the books in unbroken order since. Older will books and estate packets sit in the vault at the courthouse, while some are on microfilm at the Arkansas State Archives.

For historic research, the State Archives page at arkansasheritage.com has search tools and a research room in Little Rock. FamilySearch has digitized many Boone County probate books. See the Boone County research wiki for a full list. For the legal text of any code cited in an order, use law.justia.com.

Public Access to Boone County Probate Records

Boone County probate files are public under the Arkansas FOIA and Admin Order No. 19. Any adult may ask for any file, as long as it is not sealed. The clerk redacts social security numbers, bank numbers, and minor names before handing a page over. Adoption files are sealed by § 9-9-217. Guardianship medical reports may be limited to the parties. The rest stays open to the public.

Legal Help in Boone County

Legal Aid of Arkansas serves Boone County. The group takes small estate, guardianship, and simple will cases for low-income residents. Apply at arlegalaid.org. The Arkansas Bar Association has a lawyer referral line for paid counsel when a case is too complex for self-help.

If you plan to file on your own, the state court self-help page at arcourts.gov has the standard forms. The Boone County Clerk cannot give legal advice, but staff will help you find the right form and the right line to sign.

More Probate Court Records Tips

Before you head to the clerk, gather a few key facts. The full legal name of the decedent is the most important. A date of death, even a rough year, helps narrow the index. If you know the case number from a prior filing, bring that too. Staff can pull the right probate file in minutes when you come prepared.

Pay by check or money order if you mail a request. Some clerks take credit cards at the counter. Probate court records can also be ordered in batches, which saves time when you need several certified copies of the same order. Ask the clerk to quote a total before you pay.

Nearby Arkansas Counties

Boone County sits in the Ozarks and shares borders with several neighbors. Each has its own probate office.