Van Buren County Phone Directory

The Van Buren County Phone Directory helps residents, researchers, and legal professionals find contact info for county offices, courts, and government services in the Clinton area. This directory covers the circuit clerk, assessor, sheriff, county judge, and other key offices that hold public records. Whether you need to reach a department by phone, look up a mailing address, or find out who handles a specific type of record, this guide gives you a clear starting point for navigating Van Buren County, Arkansas.

Van Buren County Phone Directory Overview

Van Buren County sits in north-central Arkansas with Clinton as its county seat. The county has a population of about 15,796 and spans rugged Ozark terrain, including Greers Ferry Lake and several mountain areas. County government offices are spread across Clinton, so knowing which office to call saves time. The main courthouse campus on Main Street and Highway 65 hosts several departments that handle public-facing records and services.

All county offices operate under Arkansas's open records framework. Under Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-105, custodians of public records must respond to written requests promptly. This rule applies to Van Buren County's clerk, assessor, sheriff, and all other elected officials who hold government records. Most offices accept in-person requests during business hours, and some accept mail-in requests as well.

The Van Buren County Government Portal lists current phone numbers and mailing addresses for all departments. It's worth checking before you call since office leadership can change between election cycles. The portal also notes any closures or schedule changes.

County Offices and Contact Listings

The County Judge's office is the main administrative hub. County Judge Dale James can be reached at (501) 745-2443, and the mailing address is P.O. Box 60, Clinton, AR 72031. The judge oversees road departments, county facilities, and emergency management coordination. If you need to reach county administration directly, this is the right starting point.

The County Clerk, Pam Bradford, handles official records at (501) 745-6995. Her office maintains county ordinances, meeting minutes from the Quorum Court, and voter registration files. Many requests for county government documents go through this office. It's separate from the Circuit Clerk, so it helps to know which one handles what you need.

For property tax payments and billing questions, contact the Collector's office managed by Laura Shannon at (501) 745-8550. The Treasurer, Mistie Wilson, handles county finances and can be reached at (501) 745-2400. These two offices work closely together, but they serve different functions.

Search Van Buren County Phone Directory for Court Records

Circuit court records in Van Buren County are held by Circuit Clerk Debbie Gray at 273 Main St., Suite 2, Clinton, AR 72031. The main phone is (501) 745-4140 and fax is (501) 745-7400. The Circuit Clerk handles civil, criminal, probate, and domestic relations cases. This office also serves as the county's ex-officio recorder for land records, so deeds, mortgages, liens, and plat maps all go here.

Court records held by the Circuit Clerk are generally public under Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-101 et seq., the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. Some records, such as sealed cases or juvenile files, are not open to the public, but most court filings can be inspected during business hours. The clerk's office also issues marriage licenses and manages passport processing. Probate records, which include estates and guardianships, are part of this office's holdings.

For online court record searches, the Arkansas Court Case Search portal run by the Administrative Office of Courts lets you look up case info statewide. Administrative Order 19 governs which records appear online and which require an in-person visit. Some older Van Buren County cases may not be indexed yet, so calling the Circuit Clerk directly at (501) 745-4140 is the safest route for historical searches.

The AOC Court Records system is another online tool you can use to check case status, view filings, and confirm hearing dates without visiting the courthouse in Clinton.

Van Buren County Assessor Phone Listings

The Van Buren County Phone Directory includes the Assessor's office as a key contact for property owners and researchers. Assessor Emma R. Smiley is located at 1414 Hwy. 65 S., Suite 117, Clinton, AR 72031. Her phone is (501) 745-2464 and fax is (501) 745-2499.

The Van Buren County Assessor listing at AR Counties shows current office details and assessment data. The assessor's records cover lake properties around Greers Ferry, mountain parcels, and agricultural lands throughout the county. Personal property assessments are due by May 31 each year to avoid penalties. The assessor also processes homestead credit applications, which can provide up to $600 in annual tax savings for qualified homeowners.

The assessor's page at AR Counties gives a current snapshot of the office and its staff. Property assessment appeals go before the County Equalization Board, and the assessor's office can explain the process for filing one. Senior citizen and disabled veteran relief programs are also available through the assessor, and the office can tell you how to apply.

For online property data, both ARCountyData and ACTDataScout offer parcel searches for Van Buren County. These tools let you look up ownership history, parcel boundaries, and tax information without making a phone call. Amendment 79 of the Arkansas Constitution provides a senior property tax freeze program, and the assessor's office can confirm whether a specific parcel qualifies.

Sheriff and Law Enforcement Contact Info

The Van Buren County Sheriff is Eric Koonce, reachable at (501) 745-2112. The Sheriff's office handles law enforcement across the county and maintains certain criminal records and arrest logs. For incident reports or records requests related to law enforcement activity, this is the right contact.

The Arkansas Crime Information Center maintains statewide criminal history records that complement county-level data. For records involving the state police, the Arkansas State Police has a separate process. Both the ACIC and state police portals can be useful when you need records that span multiple jurisdictions or go back further than what the county clerk's files show.

Public Records and FOIA Requests in Van Buren County

Arkansas has one of the more open public records laws in the country. Under § 25-19-105(d)(3)(A)(iii), a custodian may charge actual costs for responding to requests that exceed $25 in staff time. Most straightforward requests, such as a single court filing or a property record, stay well under that threshold. Written requests are best, but many offices in Van Buren County will help you in person if you visit during regular hours.

The Arkansas FOIA portal has guidance on how to write a records request and what agencies must provide. It also covers exemptions and your rights if a request is denied. The Arkansas Attorney General's office publishes FOIA opinions that can help you understand how the law applies in specific situations.

For older or archived Van Buren County records, the Arkansas State Archives holds historical government files and documents that may no longer be stored at the county level. This is especially useful for genealogy research or tracing land ownership back several generations.

Property and Tax Phone Listings

Several offices handle property and tax-related phone listings in Van Buren County. The Collector at (501) 745-8550 handles tax payments and billing records. The Assessor at (501) 745-2464 handles valuation questions and homestead exemptions. For title research and land record filings, the Circuit Clerk at (501) 745-4140 is the right contact.

The AR County Assessors Association lists assessor contact information for all 75 Arkansas counties if you need to cross-reference Van Buren County data with neighboring areas. The association also tracks changes in assessment law that may affect how records are filed and maintained. For property owners near Greers Ferry Lake, the assessor's office maintains specific records for waterfront and lake-access parcels, which often require separate documentation.

Online property tax payments can be made through the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration portal. The DFA site also has information on state tax programs that interact with county-level assessments, including the homestead credit and any senior exemption programs in effect.

State Resources for the Van Buren County Directory

State-level resources round out what you can find locally. The Arkansas Secretary of State maintains business entity records, which include registered agent addresses and company contact info for businesses operating in Van Buren County. If you need to reach a company rather than a government office, the SOS business search is a good place to start.

The Arkansas General Assembly site lists contact info for all state legislators, including those representing Van Buren County districts. The site also gives access to the full Arkansas Code, which is helpful when researching which statutes govern a specific type of public record.

For vital records such as birth and death certificates, the Arkansas Department of Health maintains vital records separate from county offices. The county clerk's office may have older local records, but official certified copies come from the state.

Nearby Counties and Related Directories

Van Buren County shares borders with several other Arkansas counties, and their phone directories may have information useful for cross-county research. Neighboring areas include:

• Cleburne County - to the east, with county seat at Heber Springs
• Independence County - to the northeast, county seat at Batesville
• Stone County - to the north
• Searcy County - to the northwest
• Conway County - to the south
• Faulkner County - to the southeast

Each of these county directories covers its own set of offices, court systems, and contact listings. If a record or person you are searching for may span more than one county, checking the neighboring directories can save time. The NETR Online Arkansas portal also links to county-level public record databases across the state and can help you identify which county holds a specific set of records.