Find Felony Records in Fort Smith

Felony records for Fort Smith residents are maintained by the Sebastian County Circuit Court. This page explains how to find felony records tied to Fort Smith through CourtConnect, the ARCH criminal history system, or by contacting the Sebastian County Circuit Clerk directly.

Which County Handles Fort Smith Felony Cases

In Arkansas, felony cases are not filed with city courts. They go to the Circuit Court in the county where the offense occurred. For Fort Smith, that is the Sebastian County Circuit Court. This applies to all Class Y, A, B, C, and D felony charges filed against Fort Smith residents or involving offenses committed in Fort Smith.

Fort Smith is located in Sebastian County on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border. It is the second-largest city in Arkansas. Sebastian County has two county seats - Fort Smith handles the Southern District and Greenwood handles the Northern District. Fort Smith was historically one of the most significant federal court cities in the American West.

Circuit Court address: 901 S B Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. Phone: 479-783-1103. The clerk's office is typically open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM or 5:00 PM. Call before visiting to confirm current hours and copy fees.

CourtConnect: Search Fort Smith Felony Cases Online

The Arkansas Judiciary's CourtConnect system provides free public access to circuit court case records statewide. Sebastian County has full access on the system. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney name at no cost and without creating an account.

For Fort Smith felony cases, search CourtConnect using the defendant's full legal name. Results will show the case number, charges, court dates, and disposition if one has been entered. Document images are available for many cases. CourtConnect does not show juvenile records, sealed records, or records from courts not yet on the system.

If you do not find a case through CourtConnect, that does not necessarily mean the case does not exist. Some older cases or cases that pre-date the county's CourtConnect implementation may only be accessible by contacting the Circuit Clerk directly.

The screenshot below shows the CourtConnect public search portal used to look up Fort Smith felony case records at no cost.

CourtConnect is the fastest free starting point for any Fort Smith felony case search. Use it before paying for an ARCH report.

ARCH Criminal History Search for Fort Smith Residents

The Arkansas Rap Sheet (ARCH) system provides statewide criminal history searches at $24 per search. ARCH is run by the Arkansas State Police and is available online at arch.ark.org. You do not need the subject's consent to run an ARCH search.

ARCH shows felony and misdemeanor convictions statewide, not just for Fort Smith or Sebastian County. Results also include pending felony arrests within the last three years and sex offender registry status. The search requires the subject's full legal name, sex, and date of birth. Payment is by debit or credit card only.

ARCH does not include sealed records, juvenile records, traffic violations, acquittals, dismissals, or records from other states or federal courts. If a person has convictions in another state, those will not appear in an ARCH search. The search is name-based, so results may include records for people with the same or similar names.

For background checks that require greater certainty - such as employment or licensing purposes - a fingerprint-based check is more reliable. The CBC system at cbc.ark.org handles fingerprint-based checks for authorized entities with the subject's written consent.

Fort Smith Police Department

The Fort Smith Police Department handles law enforcement for Fort Smith. The department maintains arrest records, incident reports, and booking information for offenses occurring within city limits. These records can supplement what you find through the Circuit Court system.

Police address: 100 S 10th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. Phone: 479-709-5100. Arrest records from the police department show the initial charge at the time of arrest. The final charge and conviction, if any, will appear at the Circuit Court level through CourtConnect or the Circuit Clerk. The two records - arrest and court case - are separate and may reflect different charges.

To request police records, contact the Fort Smith Police Department records division. Under Arkansas FOIA (Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101), most arrest records are public. The department typically responds to public records requests within three working days.

How to Search Fort Smith Felony Records

Here are the main ways to look up felony records tied to Fort Smith:

1. CourtConnect (free): Go to CourtConnect and search by name or case number. Sebastian County has full access. This is the fastest way to check if someone has a felony case on file.
2. ARCH criminal history ($24): Search arch.ark.org for a statewide felony and misdemeanor conviction history. You need the person's name, sex, and date of birth. Results cover all of Arkansas, not just Fort Smith.
3. In person at the Circuit Clerk: Visit the Sebastian County Circuit Court at 901 S B Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. You can inspect case files in person and request copies. Fees for copies: 25 cents per page; certified copies $5.00 (typical).
4. By mail: Send a written request to the Circuit Clerk at the above address with the case number or party name and a check for copy fees. Call the clerk's office to confirm current fees before mailing payment.
5. Arkansas Department of Corrections: The ADC inmate search shows records for people sentenced to state prison. Records go back to 1940 and include charge, county, and sentence information.

Arkansas Felony Classifications and Fort Smith Records

Arkansas felonies are grouped into five classes. Class Y is the most serious and includes offenses like capital murder and rape. Class A, B, C, and D felonies range from serious to less serious offenses. All felony cases - regardless of class - are filed at the Circuit Court, not at any city court in Fort Smith.

Class Y and A felony records are permanently public and cannot be sealed. Some Class C and D non-violent felony convictions may be eligible for record sealing under Arkansas's Comprehensive Criminal Record Sealing Act (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-90-1401 et seq.). Sealed records do not appear in ARCH or CourtConnect searches.

If a record has been sealed, it will not show up in a standard public records search. Only certain agencies - such as law enforcement and some licensing boards - can access sealed records. For most purposes, a sealed record is treated as if it does not exist.

FOIA Requests for Fort Smith Felony Records

Under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101), most felony court records and arrest records are public. You can request access without stating a reason and without any formal connection to the case. FOIA applies to both the Circuit Clerk's records and to police department records.

To make a FOIA request for court records in Fort Smith cases, write to the Sebastian County Circuit Clerk at 901 S B Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. Include the case number or party name and specify what documents you need. The clerk has three working days to respond. They must either provide the records, give a time estimate for access, or explain what specific exemption applies if they are withholding records.

Exemptions to FOIA include juvenile records (Ark. Code § 9-27-309), active criminal investigation materials, and sealed court records. If a request is denied without a valid exemption cited, you can appeal to the county court or seek advice from the Arkansas Attorney General's office.

Nearby Arkansas Cities

Other cities in the area that also have felony records maintained through the Arkansas circuit court system:

Van Buren | Russellville