Arkansas FOIA and Pulaski County Records
The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act sits in Ark. Code § 25-19-101 et seq. It defines public records as writings, recorded sounds, films, tapes, electronic information, or data required by law or otherwise kept by a public agency. The FOIA presumes openness. A Pulaski County resident does not need to state a purpose. Court records sit under Administrative Order 19, which lets each Arkansas court decide what to publish remotely. Sheriff and county agency records use the standard FOIA framework. The Arkansas FOIA Handbook published by the Department of Public Safety covers Pulaski County request procedures statewide.
Pulaski County Court Records vs Agency Records
Two different access frameworks cover Pulaski County records. Court records are filed in the Pulaski Circuit Court or Pulaski County District Court and held by the Clerk. Agency records are kept by the Pulaski County Sheriff, the Pulaski County Assessor, the Pulaski County government departments, and other county offices. Court records use Administrative Order 19 and clerk procedures. Agency records use Arkansas FOIA. A Pulaski County criminal case docket runs through Search ARCourts; a PCSO body camera video runs through the sheriff FOIA portal.
Pulaski County Sheriff FOIA Through NextRequest
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office runs a public records portal on NextRequest at pulaskicountysheriff.nextrequest.com. The portal accepts FOI requests for reports, body camera footage, jail policies, communications, and other PCSO Pulaski County records. The Pulaski County FOI/Court administrative sergeant responds as Keeper of the Record. The portal logs every Pulaski County request and the agency response, creating a public audit trail.
The Pulaski County NextRequest interface tracks the status of each FOI request from submission through response.
How to File a Pulaski County Public Records Request
A Pulaski County FOI request can be filed in person, by mail, or through an online portal depending on the agency.
Arkansas Access to Justice and Arkansas Law Help at arkansaslegal.org publish self-help resources for Pulaski County residents who want help with records requests, sealing, and other civil matters.
The Pulaski County kiosks installed inside the Clerk's office in 2023 link directly into this same Arkansas legal-help network.
- Identify the Pulaski County agency that holds the record (Clerk, Sheriff, county department).
- Describe the Pulaski County record clearly: subject, date range, document type.
- Use the right channel. PCSO uses NextRequest. The Pulaski Circuit and County Clerk takes counter, phone, or mail requests at 501-340-8500.
- Provide contact information so the Pulaski County agency can respond.
- Wait for the response. Arkansas FOIA expects a response within three working days.
- Pay the Pulaski County copy fees: $0.03 per black-and-white page, $0.20 per color page, $5 per certified seal.
- If denied, ask the Arkansas Attorney General for guidance or seek court enforcement.
Pulaski County Public Records Fees
The Pulaski Clerk publishes fee schedules online. Copy fees sit on the Misc fee schedule. Filing fees sit on the Central and County Court schedules. PCSO charges actual copy costs through NextRequest where allowed.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Black-and-white copy per page | $0.03 |
| Color copy per page | $0.20 |
| Solid color graphics per page | $0.50 |
| Certified or authenticated seal | $5.00 |
| CD media | $0.50 |
| DVD-ROM media | $0.75 |
| Pulaski County circuit court filing | $165 |
| Pulaski County marriage license | $60 |
Pulaski County FOIA Exemptions and Confidential Records
Several Pulaski County record categories stay closed. Medical records, education records under FERPA, adoption records, concealed handgun licensing records, juvenile records, sealed criminal records, grand jury material, attorney work product, and trade secrets are common exemptions. Personnel and disciplinary files have partial exemptions. Ark. Code § 25-19-105 spells out the FOIA exemptions in full. Administrative Order 19 separately limits remote access to certain Pulaski County court records.
The Arkansas Law Help criminal record sealing guide at a.arlawhelp.org/criminal-record-sealing walks Pulaski County users through the petition steps for sealing records under Ark. Code § 16-90-1401 et seq.
The Pulaski County sealing process is free under Act 680 of 2019, but the petition steps still require care.
Pulaski County Criminal History vs Court Search
Arkansas Crime Information Center criminal history is not a Pulaski County public record in the same sense as a court docket. ACIC criminal history is governed by Ark. Code § 12-12-1009 dissemination rules. A subject may review and challenge ACIC information under Ark. Code § 12-12-1013. Search ARCourts shows case events; ACIC shows a controlled criminal history product used by employers, licensing boards, and the courts. Pulaski County residents who need a full background check pursue ACIC, not Search ARCourts.
How to Challenge a Missing or Incorrect Pulaski County Record
A Pulaski County record that is missing or wrong can usually be corrected through the Clerk or by motion in the original court. For Pulaski Circuit Court cases, file a motion with the court that handled the case. For Pulaski County District Court files, contact the district court directly. For PCSO files, file a NextRequest correction request. For ACIC criminal history, follow the review and challenge process at Arkansas State Police. The Pulaski Clerk staff cannot fix court orders themselves; only the Pulaski County judge can.
Pulaski County FOIA Exemption Categories
Arkansas FOIA at Ark. Code § 25-19-105 lists exemptions by category. Each one can block a Pulaski County record release or require redaction. The exemption list is not abstract; it controls what the Pulaski Clerk, the Pulaski County Sheriff, and other county offices can hand over.
- Medical records - Pulaski County medical and mental health information stays confidential under FOIA and other privacy law.
- Adoption records - Ark. Code § 9-9-217 closes Pulaski County adoption files unless a court order opens them.
- Education records - FERPA protects student records held by Pulaski County schools.
- Concealed handgun licensing - Specific Arkansas exemption keeps these records out of public view.
- Law-enforcement sensitive - Some Pulaski County investigative files stay closed until the case concludes.
- Personal privacy - SSNs, financial account numbers, protected addresses, and minor names are redacted.
- Juvenile records - Ark. Code § 9-27-309 limits access to parties, counsel, agencies, and authorized recipients.
- Sealed criminal records - Ark. Code § 16-90-1401 et seq. restricts access after a Pulaski County sealing order.
Pulaski County FOIA Enforcement
A denied Pulaski County FOIA request can be challenged. The Arkansas Attorney General publishes guidance and opinions interpreting FOIA. Requesters can ask the Attorney General for an informal opinion, which carries weight even though it is not binding. Court enforcement comes through the appropriate Arkansas circuit court. The Arkansas FOIA Handbook published by the Department of Public Safety covers Pulaski County request procedures and remedies. The Pulaski County circuit court can issue orders to enforce a citizen's right to inspect and copy public records.
The Pulaski County Sheriff's NextRequest portal logs every Pulaski County request and response, which provides a public audit trail. That trail can be useful evidence if a denial is later challenged. The Pulaski Circuit and County Clerk does not run a NextRequest portal; clerk counter and mail requests are tracked internally.
Court Records Under Administrative Order 19 in Pulaski County
Pulaski County court records sit under the Arkansas Supreme Court Administrative Order No. 19. The order presumes that court records not sealed by the court are open to public inspection. It also lets each Arkansas court decide how much of its docket appears online. The Pulaski County circuit administrative judge can choose to limit remote document access. A Pulaski County record may be visible to a clerk at the counter but not downloadable online. The Search ARCourts disclaimer specifically cites Administrative Order 19, and printed pages carry the watermark "This is not an official court record and should not be considered as such. For official court records, please contact the clerk of the court."
The full text of Administrative Order 19 is available at law.justia.com, which republishes the Arkansas Supreme Court order setting Pulaski County court-record access rules.
The Pulaski County circuit administrative judge applies this order when deciding which dockets and documents appear in Search ARCourts.
Commercial Use of Pulaski County Records
The Search ARCourts disclaimer warns that commercial use of public Pulaski County case data is prohibited to the extent it conflicts with Administrative Order 19. Bulk scraping or commercial background-check reuse of Pulaski County records is not the same as looking up a personal case. The Arkansas FOIA also has limits. Ark. Code § 25-19-105 contains exemptions and special rules about commercial reuse of certain Pulaski County records. A consumer-facing Pulaski County records search is fine; a commercial background-check product needs ACIC or another lawful source.
Pulaski County Records Beyond the Courts
The Pulaski Circuit and County Clerk maintains records beyond court files. Pulaski County real estate deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, UCCs, powers of attorney, notary bonds, and foreign judgments sit with the Real Estate department at 501-340-8433, room 102. County court matters such as special improvement districts, annexation, BOE appeals, DBA assumed names, minister credentials, and DD-214 military discharge records also sit with the Pulaski Clerk. Elections and voter registration sit with the Pulaski Clerk in the South Lobby at 501-340-8336. Each Pulaski County department has its own fee schedule and rules.