Scott County Probate Court Records
Scott County Probate Court Records are kept at the County Clerk's office in Waldron. The clerk serves as clerk to the probate division of the 15th Judicial Circuit. Files cover wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and adult name changes. You can search Scott County probate cases through the state CourtConnect portal, stop by the clerk in person, or send a written request by mail. This page shows how to find a case file, what a probate case holds, and how to get plain or certified copies for your own use.
Scott County Probate Court Records Overview
Scott County Probate Court Records Office
The Scott County Circuit Clerk and County Clerk each play a role in probate. Under Arkansas Code § 28-1-106, the County Clerk is clerk to the probate court. The clerk files papers, gives notice, and swears witnesses. The main office sits at the Scott County Courthouse, 100 West First Street, Waldron, AR 72958.
Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call ahead if you plan to pull a large file. Staff can tell you the case number and quote copy fees. Bring a photo ID when you visit. The office is small, so staff may ask you to wait a short while during busy windows.
Scott County sits in the 15th Judicial Circuit with Conway, Logan, and Yell counties. Probate judges ride between seats by rotation. All new estate cases, small estate affidavits, and guardianship petitions are filed here first.
Note: The Waldron District Court does not hear probate matters. Wills, estates, and guardianships must be filed with the Circuit Court clerk.
Search Scott County Probate Court Records Online
The Arkansas Judiciary runs a free case search at CourtConnect. Pick Scott from the county list. You can search by party name, case number, or case type. Probate cases show up with the docket, next hearing date, and party list.
The state search is free and open to all. No login. Most filings from the past 15 years are indexed. Older cases may sit in paper only. The docket view shows filings and orders, but not the full text of a will or accounting.
Below is a view of the main CourtConnect home page.
From the portal home, pick the circuit, pick Scott, and run a name search. Each match links to the case docket.
Types of Scott County Probate Court Records
The probate division of the 15th Judicial Circuit hears a wide set of case types. Files cover estates, wills held for safekeeping, small estate affidavits, guardianships, conservatorships, adult adoptions, and name changes. Adoption files are sealed by law and held from the public.
Estate cases start with a petition for probate or administration. The court admits the will, names a personal representative, and issues letters. The rep files an inventory within 60 days under § 28-48-101. Creditor claims are due within six months of first publication under § 28-40-111.
A standard Scott County probate case file holds:
- Petition for probate or letters of administration
- The will and proof of will
- Letters testamentary or of administration
- Inventory and appraisal of estate assets
- Creditor claims and court orders on each claim
- Final accounting and order of discharge
Guardianship files hold medical statements, reports from the guardian ad litem, and yearly status reports. See § 28-65-101 through § 28-65-601 for the rules on appointment, duties, and removal.
Scott County Probate Court Records Fees
The standard filing fee for a Scott County probate case is $165. Small estate affidavits under § 28-41-101 run about $25 to $30. The small estate track covers estates at or below $100,000 in value, not counting the homestead or family allowance under § 28-39-101 and § 28-39-201.
Copy fees set by the clerk follow the state schedule. Plain paper copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies run $5 for the first page plus $0.50 to $1.00 per page after. Letters testamentary are $5 per set. Order two or three certified sets up front if you plan to close bank accounts, retitle a deed, or move a car title.
Cash, check, and card are taken at the counter. Mail-in requests must come with a check to the Circuit Clerk plus a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Request Scott County Probate Court Records
You have three ways to get a copy of a Scott County probate file. Pick the one that matches your need.
In person: walk in to the courthouse at 100 West First Street, Waldron. Bring a photo ID. Give staff the case name or number. They will pull the file and make copies. Plain copies often ship the same visit. Certified copies take a few more minutes for the seal.
By mail: send a short letter with the case name, case number, return address, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check for the copy fees. The clerk mails copies back, most often within one to two weeks. If you do not have the case number, give the full name of the person who died and a rough year of death.
Online: start at CourtConnect to find the case. Full document images sit at the clerk's office, not online. The Arkansas Judiciary site hosts blank forms for pro se filers.
Historic Scott County Probate Court Records
Scott County was formed November 5, 1833. Probate and marriage books reach back to the 1830s, with a few gaps from old courthouse fires. Loose papers and pre-1920 files are held on microfilm at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock.
The FamilySearch wiki lists the reel numbers, time spans, and online indexes for Scott County. Many probate images are free to view through an affiliate library. The wiki also links to county histories and published will abstracts.
Old estate packets are a strong source for family history work. A packet may hold the will, letters of administration, guardian bonds, and receipts from heirs. These files often show land holdings, goods, and the names of those who lived in the same home.
Legal Framework for Scott County Probate Court Records
Arkansas Circuit Courts hold probate jurisdiction under § 28-1-104. District courts have no role. A will must be filed within five years of death under § 28-40-103. Two attesting witnesses are needed to prove a will under § 28-40-117. Intestate succession runs under § 28-9-203.
Public access to Scott County probate files comes from the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and Administrative Order No. 19. Anyone can view a file during office hours. The clerk redacts social security numbers, bank account numbers, and the full names of minor children. Adoption files are sealed by statute.
You can read the full probate code at Justia's Arkansas Code Title 28. Guardianship rules sit at § 28-65-101. Notice of guardianship hearing goes out 20 days ahead under § 28-65-207. Final accounting rules live at § 28-52-101.
Tip: Keep a written log of every notice served, every receipt gathered, and every check paid out; the final accounting will need them when the case closes.
Legal Help in Scott County
Legal Aid of Arkansas serves Scott County for low-income clients. Apply online at arlegalaid.org. Legal Aid helps with simple estates, small estate affidavits, and guardianships when the case fits their rules. A short phone intake starts the review.
For full probate with real estate or a will contest, a private attorney is a better fit. The Arkansas Judiciary site has blank forms, filing guides, and rules of probate procedure for pro se filers. The Arkansas Bar Association runs a referral service for lawyers who take probate cases.
Nearby Arkansas Counties
Scott County sits in west Arkansas. Each neighbor files probate cases at its own county seat.