Located in northeastern Arkansas, Craighead County was established in 1859 and named after Thomas Craighead, a senator who spearheaded the creation of the county.  Craighead County, home to over 107,000 Arkansans, has two county seats, Jonesboro and Lake City. The county covers an area of about 717 square miles.

Courts in Craighead County

Craighead County's judicial system includes Circuit and District Courts. The Craighead County Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction over criminal cases such as felonies, including robbery, murder, and drug trafficking. It presides over civil cases involving sums above $25,000, property disputes, and personal injury claims. The Circuit Court deals with family law matters related to divorce, domestic violence, and adoption cases, while the probate court oversees the administration of estates, trusts, and guardianships.

The Craighead County District Court has limited authority over criminal and civil cases. The court handles traffic offenses, misdemeanors, and civil claims for dispute claims below $25,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Craighead County

Public court records are the documents and papers from the courts, open to the general public for inspection, viewing, and copying. The Clerk of Court maintains court records in the county and grants electronic access to public court records using the ARCourts Platform. Record seekers may also visit the courthouse to view and obtain public court records. The court also accepts mail requests for public court records.

Types of Public Court Records in Craighead County

The availability of public court records in Craighead County grants the public insight into the judiciary, helping to prevent and detect corruption, misconduct, and abuse of power in the legal system. Court records publicly available in Craighead County include:

• Civil Court Records: Breach of contract, personal injury claims, small claims, employment disputes, and restraining orders
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanor records
• Family Court Records: Divorce, custody agreements, child support, spousal support, marriage annulments, and legal separation
• Probate Records: Wills, estates, trusts, conservatorships, and guardianships
• Traffic Records: Speeding, running a red light, illegal parking, driving with a suspended license, and seatbelt violations

Confidential Court Records in Craighead County

Confidential court records are documents containing private or sensitive information and unavailable to the public. Confidential court records are sealed to prevent unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or prevent potential harm or harassment to the individual named on the court document. Some Confidential court records in Craighead County include:

• Juvenile court records
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Adoption records
• Witness protection program records

Court records contain personal information which is confidential per state law. Personal identifiers in court documents are redacted to prevent fraud and identity theft. Personal identifying information excluded from the public include:

• Financial account numbers
• Social Security numbers
• Tax Identification numbers
• Insurance policy numbers
• Vehicle registration information

Juvenile Delinquency in Craighead, AR

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Craighead County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Arkansas often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 564 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Craighead County. Of that total, 36% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 202 court cases. Another 22% were dependency cases that accounted for 124 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Craighead County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Craighead County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Craighead County, AR

https://arkansas.gov/

County Seat:	Jonesboro and Lake City
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1859
Total Square Miles:	713
2019 Population:	107,115
Persons/Square Mile:	0.01
County Contact:	511 Union St County Courthouse Jonesboro , AR 72401-2833 http://www.craigheadcounty.org

Craighead County, AR Courts