Find Bench Warrants in Union County

Union County bench warrants come out of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court and the El Dorado District Court. You can search Union County bench warrants through the Circuit Clerk in El Dorado, the Sheriff's Office, and the statewide Search ARCourts portal. A bench warrant hits the case file when a person skips a court date. Union County is the largest county by land area in Arkansas. This page walks you through the main search paths and lists the numbers you need.

Union County Circuit Clerk

The Circuit Clerk holds the master case file on every Union County bench warrant tied to a Circuit Court case. The office handles civil, criminal, and probate records. Records search and payment are available online. Real estate records can also be searched online through the county system.

The Circuit Clerk's office sits at 101 North Washington, Suite 201, El Dorado, AR 71730. The phone is (870) 864-1940. The email is circuitclerk@unioncountyar.com. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, closed on federal and state holidays except Columbus Day.

Copy fees follow the state rule. Court document copies run $0.25 per page. Certified and authenticated copies cost $5.00 each. Marriage records for Union County are held by the County Clerk at the same courthouse. Call ahead to confirm hours and payment options if you plan to mail a request.

Bench warrant data on file can show the subject's full name, the case number, the issuing judge, the charge, the date the warrant was signed, and the bond set. If the warrant was served, the file notes the date and the deputy. Clerk staff do not give legal advice, but they will pull the case and read the docket for you at the counter.

Union County Sheriff Warrants

The Union County Sheriff's Office serves bench warrants across the county. Deputies cover a huge area, since Union County is 1,039 square miles. Warrant inquiries go by phone or in person at the main office.

The Sheriff tracks active warrants and probation revocation warrants. Staff can tell you if a named person has an open bench warrant. Bring a photo ID for an in-person check. Some older warrants sit with the Records unit if the case is closed or if the warrant has been transferred.

The El Dorado Police Department also maintains a warrant list on their site at eldoradopolice.org. That list shows the suspect's name, address, charge, and bond amount for city-level cases. Many El Dorado cases tie back to Union County Circuit Court, so a name can show up in both places.

For statewide reach, the VINELink service lets you track custody status. You can set up alerts tied to a named person who may be held on a Union County bench warrant. The Arkansas Crime Information Center also logs warrant data used by law enforcement statewide.

If a person is held in a state facility after a bench warrant pickup, the Arkansas Division of Correction escapee list can help track custody status. For a wider criminal check, try the Arkansas State Police Criminal Background Check.

Online Bench Warrant Search Tools

The fastest way to check is the state portal. Search ARCourts covers the 13th Judicial Circuit, which includes Union County. Type a name or case number. The system shows charges, hearings, and any bench warrant on the case docket. The portal is free and runs 24 hours a day.

The state portal has some limits. Old records may not show up. Full warrant document images are not always online. For the warrant itself, you still need to call the Clerk or visit in person. Union County joined the statewide case management system, so most recent records show in the portal.

The Arkansas Circuit Courts info page lists court addresses and phones by circuit. That helps when you need to confirm where a Union County bench warrant got issued. The District Courts page does the same for district courts.

How to Clear a Union County Bench Warrant

Bench warrants in Union County do not expire. An open warrant stays active until the judge recalls it or the person is served. The best move is to work with a lawyer who knows the 13th Judicial Circuit and the El Dorado courts. A motion to quash or a motion to set bond can clear the path to a new court date.

Attorneys can use the Arkansas eFlex system to file motions with the Circuit Court. Self-represented parties can register and file too. A motion to recall the bench warrant and a motion to set bond are the two most common filings. The court sets a hearing and may recall the warrant on a showing of good cause.

Voluntary surrender is another option. You can turn yourself in at the Sheriff's Office in El Dorado. Many judges view a voluntary surrender as a good faith step, which can help at the bond hearing. Still, check with a lawyer before you go. A failure to appear charge may get added under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-54-120. Arkansas criminal procedure is set out in the Rules of Criminal Procedure.

If the bench warrant went out by mistake, the Clerk can often fix it fast. Mistakes happen when a court notice goes to the wrong address or a hearing gets reset late. Bring proof and ask the Clerk to flag the file for the judge. The court may recall the warrant the same day in clear cases.

Union County Bench Warrant FOIA Requests

Bench warrant records are public under the Arkansas FOIA. The law lets any Arkansas citizen make a request. You do not have to state a reason. Some personal data is redacted, such as SSNs and juvenile identifiers. Response time is three working days under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101.

Requests go to the Circuit Clerk for court files or to the Sheriff for service and arrest data. The Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19 guides court record access across the state. The El Dorado City Clerk, Heather McVay, handles FOIA for city records at 204 North West Ave, El Dorado, AR 71731, (870) 881-4877.

Legal Help in Union County

Low-income residents can turn to Legal Aid of Arkansas for free civil legal help. The hotline is 1-800-9-LAW-AID. The Arkansas Judiciary Self-Help page has court forms and guides for people who handle their own filings.

El Dorado is home to a United States Courthouse at 101 South Jackson Avenue, Room 205, El Dorado, AR 71730. It serves the Western District of Arkansas. The phone is 1-833-853-0345. Federal cases, including federal bench warrants, run through that court and not the local Circuit Court.

El Dorado has private criminal defense lawyers who take Union County cases. A lawyer can file a motion to quash a Union County bench warrant, appear at the bond hearing, and walk you through the steps. The State Bar of Arkansas runs a lawyer referral service. The Attorney General's opinions page can help if a record request gets denied.

Cities in Union County

El Dorado is the county seat of Union County. It is the only city in the county with a dedicated page on this site. Other towns include Smackover, Strong, Huttig, Junction City, and Norphlet. For any Union County bench warrant tied to those smaller towns, start with the Circuit Clerk in El Dorado.

Nearby Arkansas Counties

If your case is not in Union County, check a nearby county below.