Drew County Public Records
Drew County public records are held by offices at the courthouse in Monticello, the county seat. Court filings, property records, marriage licenses, and arrest records are each maintained by a different agency. Some records are searchable for free online. This guide covers the offices that manage public records in Drew County, the types of documents they hold, how to request them, and what online tools are available for residents and researchers.
Drew County Records Overview
Drew County Circuit Clerk Records
The Drew County Circuit Clerk is Sandy McKinney. The office is at 210 S. Main Street in Monticello. Phone: (870) 460-6250. Fax: (870) 367-6206. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This office handles all court filings for civil, criminal, domestic relations, and juvenile cases filed in Drew County.
Court records here include felony criminal cases, civil matters, divorce and child support cases, custody proceedings, and domestic abuse filings. As the ex-officio county recorder, the Circuit Clerk also maintains land records including deeds, mortgages, liens, and surety bonds. Recording fees are $15.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page. A real property transfer tax of $3.30 per $1,000 applies to transactions over $100. New civil or domestic filings cost $165.00. Summons are $2.50 per person. Certified copy fees are $5.00 per document. Standard page copies are $0.25.
The statewide CourtConnect portal at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad provides free public access to Drew County court cases. You can search by party name, case number, or date range without any account or registration fee. Basic case status, docket entries, and party names are available. Certified copies of court documents require a written request and payment to the Circuit Clerk's office. Juvenile records are sealed and cannot be accessed through public requests.
Note: The property records portal and the court case portal are separate systems. Property documents go through the Circuit Clerk's recorder function; court cases go through CourtConnect.
County Clerk and Marriage Records
The Drew County Clerk is Becki Weichart. The office is at 210 S. Main Street in Monticello. Phone: (870) 460-6200. Fax: (870) 367-6206. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This office maintains marriage licenses, probate records, voter registration, and official county government documents.
Marriage licenses cost $60.00. Both applicants must appear in person at the same time and bring a valid government-issued photo ID and social security card. No waiting period applies for applicants 18 and older. Minors need parental consent, and a five-day waiting period applies. Licenses are valid for 60 days from the issue date and must be returned to the Clerk's office for recording. Copies of marriage records are $1.00 each and certified copies cost $5.00. Marriage certificates from 1917 to the present are also available from the Arkansas Department of Health through healthy.arkansas.gov.
Probate records held by this office include decedent estates (testate and intestate), small estates, guardianships, and civil commitments. Adoption records are sealed. Probate filings cost approximately $165.00 for full proceedings and about $25.00 for small estate affidavits. DBA certificate registrations cost $25.00 for original filing. The Clerk's office also handles voter registration rolls and processes absentee ballot applications for Drew County residents. County court records such as Quorum Court minutes, ordinances, and board records are maintained here as well.
Property Records and Assessor Search
The Drew County Assessor is Pam Tillman. The office is at 210 S. Main Street in Monticello. Phone: (870) 460-6300. Fax: (870) 367-6206. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. All real and personal property is assessed at 20% of current market value under Arkansas law.
Free online property searches for Drew County are available at ARCountyData.com. You can search by owner name, parcel number, or address. Results show ownership details, assessed values, and property characteristics. The free tool at actDataScout.com also covers Drew County and offers similar search options, with some enhanced features available on a subscription basis.
Personal property must be assessed annually between January 1st and May 31st. This covers vehicles, boats, motorcycles, trailers, farm equipment, and similar assets. Late assessment carries a 10% penalty with no exceptions. Real property assessments follow a January 1st through July 1st schedule. Properties that fall delinquent for two consecutive years may be certified to the Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands. Homestead credit applications under Amendment 79 must be submitted to the Assessor's office by October 15th to apply to the current tax bill. Property taxes are due between March 1st and October 15th each year.
Note: New vehicle owners have 30 days from the purchase date to complete assessment without incurring a late penalty, even if May 31st has already passed.
Sheriff and Arrest Records
The Drew County Sheriff is Tim Roberts, who also serves as County Collector. The Sheriff's Office is at 210 S. Main Street in Monticello. Phone: (870) 367-6211. Fax: (870) 367-6212. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and provides law enforcement throughout the unincorporated areas of Drew County.
Arrest records and incident reports are public under the Arkansas FOIA. Written requests should be submitted to the Sheriff's Records Division in person or by mail. Under Arkansas Code Section 25-19-105, the office must respond within three working days. Copy fees are $0.25 to $1.00 per page. Active investigative files and sealed records are exempt from disclosure. For statewide inmate searches, the Arkansas Department of Corrections provides a free inmate search portal. The sex offender registry is maintained by the Arkansas Crime Information Center and is searchable at no charge.
FOIA Requests and Vital Records
Drew County offices must comply with the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, codified at Arkansas Code Section 25-19-105. Any Arkansas citizen may request public records. No reason is needed. Agencies must respond within three working days. Submit requests in writing to the office holding the specific records you need. Include the record type, date range, and any names or case numbers to help staff locate the documents. Standard copies cost $0.25 per page and certified copies are $5.00 for the first page plus additional page charges.
Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the Arkansas Department of Health's vital records office in Little Rock. These are different from the courthouse records held by county offices. The vital records office processes requests by mail, in person, or through a third-party vendor and charges a separate fee schedule. Details are at healthy.arkansas.gov.
Note: Certified vital records from the state health department and certified court documents from the Circuit Clerk serve different purposes; confirm which type you need before ordering.
Nearby Counties
Drew County borders the following Arkansas counties in southeast Arkansas, each with their own courts and records offices.