Jefferson County Probate Court Records
Jefferson County Probate Court Records are filed with the Circuit Clerk and County Clerk in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The offices hold case files for wills, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships heard by the 11th Judicial Circuit West. You can search Jefferson County Probate Court Records online through CourtConnect, walk in to 101 West Barraque Street, or mail a written request for copies. This page shows how to find a case, what a file may hold, and how to get plain or certified copies from Jefferson County court staff.
Jefferson County Probate Court Records Overview
Jefferson County Probate Court Records Office
The Jefferson County Circuit Clerk is the custodian of court records. The office handles civil, criminal, probate, and domestic relations case files. It also acts as the county recorder for deeds, mortgages, UCC filings, and notary bonds. The County Clerk is clerk of the probate court and the quorum court, and files instruments in decedent estate cases.
The Circuit Clerk office is at 101 West Barraque, Suite 104, Pine Bluff, AR 71601. The phone is (870) 541-5306. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can pull a file, quote copy fees, and show you the public access terminal. Call with the case number if you have it.
For the county government page, see jeffersoncountyar.gov/government/circuit-clerk. The County Clerk page has wills, marriage records, and quorum court minutes.
A view of the state main case search is below.
Use caseinfo.arcourts.gov to pull a Jefferson County case by name or number.
CourtConnect ties the Jefferson County Circuit Court docket to a free online index.
Search Jefferson County Probate Court Records Online
CourtConnect is the free statewide online case search. Probate cases in Jefferson County post there once the Circuit Clerk opens the file. Search by last name, case number, or case type. Probate cases are coded PR. The site shows the case number, party names, filing date, next hearing, and docket entries.
Pick the 11th Judicial Circuit West at caseinfo.arcourts.gov to narrow to Jefferson County. The system is free and open to the public. A kiosk at the courthouse offers the same search for walk-in visitors. Full scans of probate documents are mostly not online, so plan on a visit or mail request for a full petition, will, or signed order.
Note: Arkansas Circuit Court kiosk pages and CourtConnect are free, while older Jefferson County probate files from the 1980s and earlier may not be indexed online.
Types of Jefferson County Probate Court Records
Jefferson County Probate Court Records hold a wide set of case types. The Probate Division hears full estates, small estates, guardianships of minors and adults, conservatorships, adoptions, name changes, and contested wills. District Court in Pine Bluff does not hear probate.
A full Jefferson County probate case often holds the petition to probate, the original will, proof of will by two witnesses under § 28-40-117, letters testamentary, notice to creditors, an inventory due in 60 days under § 28-48-101, creditor claims filed within six months of first publication under § 28-40-111, an appraisal under § 28-48-201, a claim payment order under § 28-50-201, and a final accounting under § 28-52-101. A judge signs the final order and closes the case.
Guardianship files in Jefferson County hold medical statements, reports from the guardian ad litem, and annual reports to the court. See § 28-65-101 for appointment rules and § 28-65-207 for the 20-day notice before each hearing.
Probate Court Records Fees and Copy Costs
The standard probate filing fee is $165 for a new case. A small estate affidavit is $25 to $30 under § 28-41-101. The small estate track fits estates at or under $100,000, not counting the homestead or family allowances under § 28-39-101 and § 28-39-201.
Copy fees at the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk:
- Plain copies: $0.25 per page
- Certified copy: $5 for the first page
- Extra pages on a certified copy: $0.50 each
- Letters testamentary: $5 per set
Pay by cash, check, or money order. The Circuit Clerk has a public access terminal for no-cost viewing of the electronic docket. Mail requests should include a check made out to the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Request Jefferson County Probate Court Records
Three options. Each fits a different need.
In person: walk in to 101 West Barraque, Suite 104, Pine Bluff, during business hours. Bring a photo ID. Give the staff the case number or the full name of the person who died. Plain copies can come back in minutes. Certified copies take a short extra step.
By mail: send a short letter with the case info, copy count, return address, a check for the fees, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Plan on one to two weeks. The obtain court records page has a clear guide.
Online: start at CourtConnect to find the case. Use arcourts.gov for forms and rules. The Jefferson County court kiosk also gives online case access.
Historic Jefferson County Probate Court Records
Jefferson County was formed in 1829. Probate records survive in part from the early 1830s. Probate record book A covers county court records from 1830 to July 1837. Probate matters were handled by the county court during that period.
FamilySearch holds microfilm for Jefferson County probate from 1830 to 1930. A free FamilySearch account lets you view scans. Browse by volume and year. See the FamilySearch catalog for Jefferson County probate.
The Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock also holds reels for Jefferson County. Start at arkansasheritage.com/arkansasstatearchives. The Jefferson County research wiki lists links to indexes and scans.
Public Access to Jefferson County Probate Records
Probate files in Jefferson County are public. The Arkansas FOIA and Administrative Order No. 19 set the rules. Anyone can ask to view or copy a file.
Some items are held back. Adoption files and juvenile records are sealed by statute. Social security numbers are masked. Full account numbers are redacted. Medical reports in guardianship cases may be limited to the named parties. The rest of the Jefferson County probate file stays open to the public.
Note: A FOIA request for Jefferson County Probate Court Records can be filed at the clerk's desk or by short written letter to the Pine Bluff office.
Legal Help in Jefferson County
The Center for Arkansas Legal Services covers Jefferson County for low-income residents. The statewide intake runs through arlegalaid.org. The office helps with small estates, simple guardianships, and short probate matters when the case fits its rules.
The Arkansas Bar Association runs a lawyer referral line for Pine Bluff and the 11th Judicial Circuit. The Arkansas Judiciary self-help page has forms for heirs, personal representatives, and guardians who want to file on their own.
Cities in Jefferson County
Jefferson County holds several Arkansas cities. Each files probate at the Circuit Court in Pine Bluff.