Lee County Probate Records Lookup
Lee County Probate Court Records are kept at the County Clerk and Circuit Clerk offices in Marianna, Arkansas. The files hold wills, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships heard by the 1st Judicial Circuit. You can search Lee County Probate Court Records on the free state CourtConnect portal, walk in to the courthouse on Chestnut Street, or send a short written mail request for copies. This page lays out where the files sit, how to search by name or case number, and how to order plain or certified copies from Lee County staff.
Lee County Probate Court Records Overview
Lee County Probate Court Records Office
The Lee County Clerk is the clerk of the probate court under § 28-1-106. The office files wills for safekeeping, opens new estate cases, keeps the estate docket, and issues letters testamentary. The Circuit Clerk keeps the full case file for each probate case, because probate in Arkansas is heard in Circuit Court.
Both offices sit at the Lee County courthouse at 15 E. Chestnut Street, Marianna, AR 72360. Hours run Monday through Friday during normal court hours. Staff can pull a file, quote copy fees, and show you the public access terminal. Call first with the case name or number so the file is ready when you arrive.
For state tools, see the Arkansas Judiciary at arcourts.gov and the free case search at caseinfo.arcourts.gov.
A view of the state case search is below.
Start at caseinfo.arcourts.gov for a free Lee County case search.
CourtConnect is how most people search Lee County Probate Court Records from home.
Search Lee County Probate Court Records Online
CourtConnect is free and open. Search by last name, case number, or case type. Probate cases carry a PR code. Pick the 1st Judicial Circuit to narrow to Lee County. The index shows the case number, party names, filing date, next hearing, and the full docket list.
Older files from the 1990s may not be online. For those, call the clerk and ask staff to check the paper index. Full scans of probate papers are mostly not online for Lee County. Plan on a mail or walk-in trip for full document images, signed orders, or certified copies of the will.
Types of Lee County Probate Court Records
Lee County Probate Court Records include full estates with a will under § 28-40-107, estates without a will under the intestate rules of § 28-9-203, guardianships of minors and adults under § 28-65-101, and conservatorships. Small estate affidavits go to the County Clerk for estates at or under $100,000, with a 45-day wait after the death.
A full Lee County probate case often holds the petition, the 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 under § 28-40-111, an appraisal under § 28-48-201, and a final accounting under § 28-52-101. A judge signs the final order to close the case.
Note: Adoption and juvenile files in Lee County are sealed by state law, and only a court order can open them for review after entry.
Lee County Probate Court Records Fees
The Arkansas fee to open a full probate case is $165. A small estate affidavit is $25 to $30 under § 28-41-101. The small estate track fits estates worth $100,000 or less, not counting the homestead allowance under § 28-39-101 or the family allowance under § 28-39-201.
Copy fees at the Lee County clerk follow state rates:
- 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 in cash, by check, or by money order. Mail requests should include a check to the Lee County Clerk and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Certified copies cannot be sent by email.
Request Lee County Probate Court Records
Three paths work. Pick the one that fits your time.
In person: drive to the Lee County courthouse at 15 E. Chestnut Street in Marianna. Bring a photo ID. Give staff the case number or the full name of the person who died. Plain copies often come back the same visit.
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.
Online: start at CourtConnect. Use arcourts.gov for forms and the Administrative Order No. 19 access rules.
Historic Lee County Probate Records
Lee County was formed in 1873 from parts of Phillips, Crittenden, Monroe, and St. Francis. Probate records survive from 1873 with no known major courthouse fire. Old will books and estate books are at the courthouse and have been filmed by the state.
The Arkansas State Archives holds microfilm for Lee County probate. Start at arkansasheritage.com/arkansasstatearchives. The search room is free.
FamilySearch has digitized many Lee County probate records. Check the Lee County research wiki for links to indexes and scans.
Public Access to Lee County Probate Records
Probate files in Lee 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 are sealed. Social security numbers are masked. Full bank account numbers are redacted. Medical reports in guardianship cases may be limited to the parties. The rest of the file stays open.
Legal Help in Lee County
Legal Aid of Arkansas serves Lee County for low-income residents. Reach them at arlegalaid.org or by the statewide intake line. Staff help with small estate affidavits and simple guardianships when the case fits their rules.
The Arkansas Bar Association runs a lawyer referral line. The Arkansas Judiciary self-help page has standard forms for heirs, personal representatives, and guardians who want to file on their own in Lee County.
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
Lee County lies in east Arkansas along the Mississippi River. These nearby counties handle probate in the same way.