Benton Phone Directory
The Benton Phone Directory brings together contact listings, public office numbers, court records access, and FOIA resources for residents and visitors in Benton, Arkansas. As the county seat of Saline County, Benton is home to city offices, a district court, and the full range of county services that make up the local phone directory. Whether you need to reach the city clerk, look up police records, or search court case files, this guide points you to the right offices and online tools.
Benton City Government Phone Directory
The City of Benton runs under a mayor-council form of government. City Hall is your first stop for general contact listings, department directories, and public office numbers. The City Clerk's Office handles official city records including ordinances, resolutions, and meeting minutes. These records are public under state law and can be requested at the clerk's counter.
The clerk's office also fields FOIA requests for general city documents. Under Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-105, the custodian of records must respond to requests and make non-exempt records available for inspection. Most routine requests get a response within three business days. If you want to reach a specific city department, the main city website lists direct numbers for public works, finance, planning, and parks.
City council meetings are open to the public. Agendas and minutes from past meetings count as public records. You can get copies by visiting the clerk's office or by sending a written request under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
Note: The Benton City Clerk's Office accepts in-person record requests at City Hall during normal business hours on weekdays.
Saline County Contact Listings
Benton serves as the seat of Saline County, so many key offices are located right in town. The Saline County Clerk keeps vital records, marriage licenses, and land records. The Circuit Clerk handles court filings for civil and criminal cases heard in the county. Both offices sit at the Saline County Courthouse and can be reached through the county's main phone directory.
The Saline County Assessor's office maintains property records and contact information for property owners across the county. You can search those records through ARCountyData.com, which provides free public access to real estate records for participating Arkansas counties. Property owner names, assessed values, and parcel details are all available through that portal.
For tax payments and tax records, the Saline County Tax Collector is the right contact. Their records tie directly to the assessor's data and are updated each year when new assessments roll out.
Benton Police Records and Contact Info
The Benton Police Department maintains records of arrests, incidents, and accident reports within city limits. Their records division handles public requests for reports. Standard reports are available during business hours. More complex requests, or those involving ongoing investigations, may require a formal FOIA submission.
The Saline County Detention Center holds inmate records for Benton and the surrounding area. If you need to look up a current detainee, the detention center maintains records that may be accessed through a direct inquiry. The Arkansas Crime Information Center also maintains statewide criminal history data and the sex offender registry, both of which are accessible online.
Note: Arrest records are public under Arkansas FOIA but records tied to ongoing investigations may be temporarily withheld by the custodian.
Court Records in Benton
The Benton District Court handles traffic citations and misdemeanor cases within city limits. Court records from those proceedings are generally public and can be viewed at the clerk's counter. For circuit court cases, including felonies and civil matters, records are filed with the Saline County Circuit Clerk.
The Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts provides an online case lookup tool covering circuit and district courts across all 75 counties. You can search by name, case number, or attorney. Administrative Order 19 governs how courts make records available online and sets rules on which case types are accessible through the public portal. Some sealed or expunged cases will not appear in public searches.
You can also search court cases through the Arkansas Court Case Search portal maintained by the Arkansas Judicial Branch. Both tools pull from the same statewide database, so results should match up.
FOIA Requests and Public Records Access
Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-101 et seq. is the state's Freedom of Information Act. It covers virtually all public agencies in Arkansas, including Benton city offices, Saline County offices, and any other government body funded with public money. Anyone can file a FOIA request, not just journalists. You don't have to give a reason.
The Arkansas FOIA portal provides guidance on request procedures, exemptions, and appeal rights. Agencies must acknowledge your request within three business days. If they deny access to any records, they must give you a written reason. Under § 25-19-105(d)(3)(A)(iii), if the cost of filling a request exceeds $25, the agency can ask for payment before pulling the records.
The Arkansas Attorney General's Office publishes opinions on FOIA disputes and can help when agencies fail to comply. Those opinions carry real weight, though they are not court rulings.
Note: Written FOIA requests carry more legal weight than verbal ones and help ensure the agency documents your request properly.
Property and Tax Phone Listings in Benton
Property records for Benton are managed at the Saline County level. The county assessor assigns values each year and keeps ownership data that feeds into the tax rolls. You can look up properties using ACTDataScout, which aggregates real property data from participating Arkansas counties. The tool lets you search by owner name, address, or parcel ID.
If you need to confirm who owns a piece of land or find a contact address for a property owner, these portals are usually your fastest path. For deed records and title history, the Saline County Recorder holds filings going back many decades. You can view those records in person or ask the recorder's office for certified copies.
Amendment 79 of the Arkansas Constitution provides a property tax freeze for residents 65 and older or those who are disabled, as long as they meet the income limit. If you need the assessor's office phone number to ask about that program, the county directory on the city website lists it.
State-Level Phone Directory Resources
Several state agencies maintain phone listings and contact databases that cover Benton and all of Arkansas. The Arkansas Secretary of State keeps a business entity database with registered agents, principal office addresses, and contact details for all corporations and LLCs in the state. If you are trying to reach a business in Benton, that registry is a reliable starting point.
The Arkansas General Assembly website hosts a state government directory with contact info for all state agencies and elected officials. The Assembly Directory lists all 135 legislators with phone numbers for their district and Capitol offices. That is useful if you need to contact the senator or representative who covers the Benton area.
For vital records such as birth and death certificates, the Arkansas Department of Health in Little Rock maintains those statewide. Their number is (501) 661-2336. Records go back to February 1914 for births and deaths. Historical contact directories and older city records may also be found at the Arkansas State Archives.
Voter and Election Contact Info for Benton
If you need to find your state legislator, verify your voter registration, or look up a polling location in Benton, the Secretary of State's Elections Division covers that. The Voter View tool lets registered voters check their registration status and see their assigned polling place. County election commission contact information is also available through that portal.
Voter registration records include name, address, precinct, and voting history, meaning whether you voted in a given election but not how you voted. Those records are public under Arkansas law for qualified purposes.
Nearby Cities and Counties
Benton sits in the center of Saline County with several nearby cities that also have directory pages. Bryant is just a few miles away and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Little Rock is the state capital and lies to the northeast. North Little Rock sits across the Arkansas River from the capital.
For county-level resources, Saline County covers Benton and has its own directory page with courthouse contact info. Neighboring Pulaski County to the north and Garland County to the west also have pages. The NETR Online Arkansas directory provides a county-by-county breakdown of assessor, recorder, and tax collector contact numbers for every county in the state.