Yell County, located in west-central Arkansas, was formed in 1840. The northern region adjoins the Arkansas River, and the county spans 930.4 square miles. It is home to over 20,263 people. Dardanelle and Danville both serve as county seats.

Courts in Yell County

Yell County lies within the 15th Judicial Circuit. Its justice system comprises the Circuit Courts and District Courts. The Circuit Courts are general jurisdiction trial courts with divisions that handle criminal, civil, probate, domestic relations, and juvenile cases.

The Criminal Division presides over felonies and misdemeanor cases, including burglaries, assault charges, drug possession, and forgery. The Civil Division has exclusive jurisdiction over civil equity matters. It handles civil disputes for claims up to $25,000, foreclosures, injunctions, patent infringement, and contract disputes. The Probate Division handles deceased estates, wills, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships of minors. The Domestic Relations Division handles family-related disputes, including proceedings on maintenance and custody of children, divorce action, marriage annulments, and proceedings for separate maintenance or alimony. The Juvenile Division deals exclusively with minors. It presides over juvenile delinquency, foster care placements, child abuse, and neglect cases.

Yell County is served by two District Courts with limited jurisdiction. The courts preside over misdemeanor criminal offenses, local ordinance violations, traffic violations, civil cases involving disputes claims below $100, and preliminary hearings for felony charges. They share jurisdiction with the Circuit Court over civil claims where the amount in dispute is between $100 and $5,000. The District Courts have a Small Claims Division that resolves most civil matters under $5,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Yell County

The Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains court records and makes them available to the public. Interested persons may access these records online via ARCourts. Also, record seekers may visit the courthouse to view and copy public court records or mail requests to obtain the documents.

Types of Public Court Records in Yell County

Court records are publicly available except those sealed by court orders. Access to these records indicates that the judicial process is fair and unbiased. The following types of court records are publicly accessible in Yell County:

• Civil records: These include personal injury claims, property disputes, product liability, defamation, and restraining orders
• Criminal records: Felonies and misdemeanors
• Probate records: These include the administration of the decedent’s estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and wills
• Family records: These include legal separation, divorce, annulment, child custody, and child support
• Traffic records: These include speeding tickets, failure to yield, reckless driving, and seatbelt violations

Confidential Court Records in Yell County

Confidential court records are sealed due to privacy concerns and are thereby exempted from public disclosure. Confidential court records in Yell County include:

• Trade secrets
• Mental health records
• Juvenile court records
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Crime victim and confidential informant information

Also, personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, bank account information, residential addresses, and phone numbers are redacted from court documents to prevent unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

Juvenile Delinquency in Yell, AR

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

In 2017, a total of 75 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Yell County. Of that total, 33% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 25 court cases. Another 49% were dependency cases that accounted for 37 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Yell County, AR

https://arkansas.gov/

County Seat:	Dardanelle and Danville
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1840
Total Square Miles:	949
2019 Population:	21,523
Persons/Square Mile:	0.04
County Contact:	PO Box 219 County Courthouse Danville , AR 72833-0219 http://yellcounty.net/

Yell County, AR Courts