Arkansas County DUI Records

Arkansas County DUI records come from two distinct district seats, DeWitt in the south and Stuttgart in the north, making this county unique in how it handles court filings and law enforcement records. If you need to search for DWI arrests, look up court cases, or request copies of DUI-related records, this guide walks you through the main sources available in Arkansas County, including the sheriff's office, circuit court, and the state's free online case search system.

Arkansas County Sheriff and Jail Records

The Arkansas County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail at 1000 Ricebelt Ave, DeWitt, AR 72042. The main phone number is (870) 659-2064. The jail holds pre-trial detainees and sentenced misdemeanor offenders, including those arrested for DUI and DWI. If you need to find out whether someone is currently in the jail, you have to call the sheriff's office directly during business hours, as there is no online inmate roster available for this county.

Arrest records in Arkansas County are public records under Arkansas FOIA (ACA § 25-19-101). You can submit a written request by mail or in person at the sheriff's office. The agency has up to three business days to respond. Copy fees run from $0.25 to $1.00 per page for printed records. If you need arrest details from a DUI stop made by the Arkansas State Police rather than the county sheriff, contact the Arkansas State Police for records from their troopers.

Arkansas County is one of just a few Arkansas counties with two county seats. The Southern District seat is DeWitt, and the Northern District seat is Stuttgart. This matters when you try to find court records. A case filed in DeWitt will be at the southern courthouse, while a case from the Stuttgart area goes to the northern courthouse. Know which district applies before you drive out there.

The Arkansas CourtConnect system provides free public access to case records from Arkansas County courts, including DUI and DWI criminal cases. Search by name or case number to find case status, charges, and hearing dates.

Circuit Court and Court Records

The Arkansas County Circuit Court clerk's office in DeWitt maintains court records for the county's circuit and district courts. You can search basic case information through CourtConnect at no cost. The portal covers criminal misdemeanors and felonies, civil cases, domestic relations, and probate. Arkansas County has partial information available through the statewide system, so older or more detailed case documents may require an in-person visit or written request.

Standard copy fees are $1.00 per page for printed records. Certified copies cost $5.00 plus $1.00 per additional page. If you need a certified copy of a DUI conviction for a license reinstatement or other legal purpose, contact the circuit clerk's office directly. Bring a case number or defendant name when you visit to speed up the search.

DUI and DWI cases in Arkansas County go through either the district court for misdemeanor first and second offenses, or the circuit court for felony charges. A fourth or subsequent DWI within the 10-year lookback period is a Class D felony under ACA § 5-65-103 and will be filed in circuit court. The circuit court also handles appeals from district court decisions.

You can pay court fines and fees for DUI cases online through the Arkansas Court Payment portal. This system works for citations and court-ordered payments tied to cases statewide, including Arkansas County cases.

DUI and DWI Laws That Apply in Arkansas County

Arkansas Code § 5-65-103 is the main DWI law. It makes it illegal to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated, defined as a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher for adult drivers. First-offense DWI is a misdemeanor. Penalties include up to one year in jail, a fine of $150 to $1,000, and a six-month license suspension. The law also covers motorboats, which matters for Arkansas County given the presence of rice irrigation canals and agricultural waterways in the area.

A second DWI within the 10-year lookback period brings 7 days to 1 year in jail, fines from $400 to $3,000, and a 24-month license suspension. Third-offense penalties include 90 days to 1 year in jail, fines from $900 to $5,000, and a 30-month suspension. Arkansas does not allow plea bargaining to a lesser charge for DWI, which means the charge stays on record as a DWI regardless of negotiation on sentencing.

Under ACA § 5-65-202, the implied consent law, any driver in Arkansas has already agreed to a chemical test by the act of driving. Refusing a breath, blood, or urine test triggers a separate license suspension: 180 days for a first refusal, two years for a second within five years, and three years for a third. A fourth refusal within five years results in lifetime revocation. A refusal can also be used against the driver as evidence in court.

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration handles the license suspension side of a DWI case separately from criminal court proceedings. You can face both a criminal penalty from the court and an administrative action from DFA stemming from the same arrest. Driver Control can be reached at (501) 682-1631.

How to Request DUI Records in Arkansas County

There are three main ways to get DUI records in Arkansas County: online through CourtConnect, in person at the courthouse, or by written FOIA request to the sheriff or clerk.

For court case records, start at caseinfo.arcourts.gov. The search is free and works 24 hours a day. You can search by full name or case number. Results show party names, charge descriptions, case status, and scheduled hearing dates. If you need physical copies of documents from the case file, you will need to contact the circuit clerk directly.

For arrest records, submit a written FOIA request to the Arkansas County Sheriff's Office at 1000 Ricebelt Ave, DeWitt, AR 72042. Include the full name of the subject, approximate date of arrest, and a description of the records you want. The agency must respond within three business days. If records are denied, the agency must give a reason in writing. You can contact the Arkansas Attorney General's FOIA Hotline at (800) 482-8982 if you have questions about your rights.

For DWI cases handled by the Arkansas State Police, you can request records from the State Police directly. Accident reports from DUI crashes are available at crashreports.ark.org for $10 per report.

The Arkansas Department of Correction inmate search lets you look up inmates who have been transferred to a state prison after a felony conviction, including felony DWI. This is separate from the county jail. The ADC search is free and available online.

Criminal Background Checks and DUI Records

If you need an official criminal history report that includes DUI convictions from Arkansas County, the Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC) maintains statewide criminal history records. A name-based search through the ARCH system costs $24.00. You can access the system through the Arkansas State Police background check portal. Mail-in requests to the Arkansas State Police Identification Bureau cost $25.00 and go to: 1 State Police Plaza Drive, Little Rock, AR 72209.

Note: Background checks through ACIC require the written consent of the person whose records are being searched, except for certain authorized purposes. If you are searching your own record, this consent requirement is straightforward to satisfy.

Nearby Counties

Arkansas County borders several counties in the Arkansas Delta region. You can find DUI records from adjacent courts by visiting their county pages.