Welcome to the Craighead County Clerk’s citizen portal, where you will find a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. This is our way of bringing local government to you, the citizens of Craighead County.
Through this portal, you will be able to search expenditures by each office in Craighead County. The portal will update on the 15th and on the final day of each month. Craighead County’s Annual Budgets for the last three years are available for review and all future budgets will be available moving forward. Also included will be Payroll information for Craighead County employees with links to useful sites. Instructions on how to obtain a marriage license, applicable laws for marriages in Arkansas, and search functions for all previously issued marriage licenses in Craighead County are now readily available. Helpful information regarding probate matters and links to sites with information to assist you in navigating the filing process will be available. Directions on obtaining a “Doing Business As” certificate, how to file in Craighead County and applicable laws that govern their use will be found on the website. Furthermore, we have added information on the Quorum Court of Craighead County, links to the minutes for each meeting, access to contact information for each Justice of the Peace, and maps of their districts for your convenience.
We are working to cast back the curtain on county government and open up access to all citizens. This portal is the first of several steps we will be taking over the next few years. As I have always said, an open government is a safe government! Thank you for stopping by and if you have any suggestions on how to improve this site please drop us a line in the contact section. We would love your feedback as we are working to continually improve and expand the resources available on this site.
Duties of the County Clerk
The County Clerk is the official bookkeeper of the county and serves as the Clerk for the County, Quorum and Probate courts.
The County Clerk serves as secretary of the Board of Equalization and records the minutes of their meetings.
The County Clerk issues marriage licenses, keeps a record of all incorporated firms in the county, is responsible for payroll records and accounts payable, and is the official voter registrar.
As Clerk to the Probate Court, the Clerk files all instruments, making them a matter of record in decedent estate cases, and swears in all witnesses in contested estates. The Clerk, also in this capacity, maintains all records relative to adoptions and guardianship cases within the county.
The County Clerk shall serve, unless otherwise designated by county ordinance, as the Secretariat of the Quorum Court. These duties involve keeping a complete permanent record of the proceedings of the Quorum Court including minutes, ordinances, resolutions and an index to provide easy access to the information (ACA 14-14-903).
As Clerk of the County Court, the County Clerk maintains the County Court record. This record includes all business of the County Court and includes such items as annexations, incorporations, county purchases, election results, proclamations, levy of taxes, board appointments, bonds, improvement districts, right of way acquisition, contracts, and agreements signed by the County Judge, and more.
The Clerk became the official voter registrar with the adoption of Amendment 51 to the Arkansas Constitution in 1966. The Clerk maintains an accurate and up-to-date voter registration list within the office and stores the ballot boxes between elections.
The County Clerk or the Clerk's designee serves as the Secretary of the Board of Equalization and records the minutes of their meetings (ACA 26-27-307). If the Clerk is the preparer of the tax books, he/she is responsible for extending the taxes in the information provided by the Assessor and the Board of Equalization (ACA 26-28-101 through 26-28-108).
The County Clerk, as the official bookkeeper of county government, usually handles the payroll for all county employees. Further, as Clerk of the County Court, the Clerk has the duty of keeping a regular account between the Treasurer and the county. The Clerk charges the Treasurer with all monies received and credits the Treasurer with all monies dispersed. In addition, the Clerk keeps an accurate account of all financial transactions within the county and files all documents, vouchers, and other papers pertaining to the settlement of any account to which the county is involved. It is the responsibility of the County Clerk to prepare all checks on the treasury for monies ordered to be paid by the County Court and to keep complete and accurate records of all these financial transactions ready for the court's inspection at any time. (ACA 16-20-402).
The records kept by the County Clerk are vital to the efficient and effective operation of county government. Thus, it is necessary that these records are accurately recorded and well maintained by the Clerk.