Find Probate Records in Monroe County
Monroe County Probate Court Records are held at the Circuit Clerk office in Clarendon. Files cover wills, estates, small estate affidavits, and guardianships in this small Delta county. You can search Monroe County Probate Court Records on the free state CourtConnect portal, visit the courthouse, or mail a written request. This page lays out the clerk address, the online tools, the fee chart, and the steps to ask for a plain or certified copy of any public probate file on record.
Monroe County Probate Court Records Overview
Monroe County Probate Court Records Office
The Monroe County Circuit Clerk runs the probate desk. The office serves as clerk to the probate division of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. Files for wills, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships are kept here. Under Arkansas Code § 28-1-106, the county clerk is the clerk to the probate court, files papers, issues notices, and swears witnesses.
The courthouse sits at 123 Madison Street, Clarendon, AR 72029. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (870) 747-3632 for probate or guardianship matters. Staff can pull a file and quote copy fees. Plan to bring a photo ID if you want copies.
Probate records in Monroe County go back to the county's formation in 1829. Old case books and indexes are still at the courthouse. For case search tools across the state, the Arkansas Judiciary runs arcourts.gov.
Search Monroe County Probate Court Records Online
Arkansas CourtConnect is the free state case search tool. Visit caseinfo.arcourts.gov and narrow to the Seventeenth Circuit to find Monroe County probate cases. You can search by party name, case number, or file date.
Results show case type, parties, file date, and the docket. Probate cases in Monroe County are coded under PR. Full case documents may stay paper only, so you may still need to mail or visit the clerk for copies.
Note: CourtConnect displays Monroe County Probate Court Records docket data; scanned wills and inventories often require an in-person visit to the clerk.
Also see caseinfo.arcourts.gov for the full Arkansas case index. The site does not cost anything, and the search runs fast.
Monroe County Probate Court Records Record Types
The probate division hears a wide mix of cases. A file in Monroe County usually holds the first petition, the will, proof of will, letters testamentary or of administration, the inventory, creditor claims, and a final accounting.
Under § 28-40-103, a will must be filed within five years of death. Proof of will needs two attesting witnesses under § 28-40-117. The personal representative files an inventory within 60 days under § 28-48-101. Creditors have six months from first publication under § 28-40-111.
Common case types in Monroe County Probate Court Records:
- Testate estates with a will
- Intestate estates under § 28-9-203
- Small estate affidavits under § 28-41-101
- Guardianships of minors and adults
- Conservatorships
- Adoption cases (sealed)
- Trust and name change cases
Guardianships follow § 28-65-101. Notice of hearing runs 20 days under § 28-65-207. The guardian files yearly reports with the court.
Monroe County Probate Court Records Fees
The probate filing fee is $165 to open a new estate case in Monroe County. A small estate affidavit runs about $25. Small estate is capped at $100,000 in value, not counting the homestead or statutory allowances.
Standard copy fees at the clerk:
- Plain copy: $0.25 per page
- Certified copy: $5 per document
- Letters testamentary: $5 per set
- Recording first page: $15
If you plan to settle bank or retirement accounts, plan to order several certified copies. Each extra copy is cheap. A second trip back to Clarendon takes much more time. The clerk takes cards for in-person payment; mail orders should include a check payable to the Monroe County Circuit Clerk.
Request Monroe County Probate Court Records
You have three main options to get a copy of a Monroe County probate file.
In person: walk in to the Circuit Clerk at 123 Madison Street in Clarendon. Bring the case number, or the full name and year of death. Staff pull the file and make copies while you wait. Plain copies are fast. Certified copies take a few more minutes.
By mail: send a written letter with the case details, a return envelope, and a check for copy fees. The clerk mails the copies back within a week or two. Add a phone number in case staff need to ask a follow-up question.
Online: use CourtConnect to find the case number, then follow up with the clerk. The Arkansas Judiciary at arcourts.gov hosts self-help forms for probate, guardianship, and small estate filings.
Historic Monroe County Records
Monroe County was formed in 1829. Historic probate books and marriage records at the courthouse go back to the mid-1800s. Some volumes are fragile, and staff pull them on request. The Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock hold microfilm for many Monroe County wills and estate books.
You can start online at arkansasheritage.com and set up a visit. FamilySearch has digitized many Monroe County probate records. See the Monroe County research wiki for reel numbers and online indexes.
Public Access to Monroe County Probate Records
Monroe County Probate Court Records are open to the public. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and Administrative Order No. 19 govern public access. You do not need to be a party to see a file. Adoption records are sealed under state law. Social security numbers and minor children's full names are redacted.
For help with a simple estate or guardianship, reach out to Legal Aid of Arkansas. Legal Aid serves low-income residents in the eastern part of the state. The Association of Arkansas Counties page links to local government offices and the court directory for Monroe 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.
Cities in Monroe County
Monroe County towns include Clarendon, Brinkley, Holly Grove, and Roe. All probate cases in the county file at the Circuit Clerk in Clarendon. None of the towns are large enough for a separate city page.