Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Arkansas County
Arkansas County, Arkansas
Stuttgart - Duck and Rice Capital of the World - from Stuttgart's World's Championship Duck Calling Contest (held annually since 1936 during Thanksgiving weekend - the World's Championship Duck Calling Contest and Wings Over the Prairie Festival in Stuttgart draws hunters, callers, and outdoors enthusiasts from across the nation to the Grand Prairie's legendary duck hunting grounds) to Stuttgart's remarkable rice production (Arkansas County is the heart of Arkansas's rice belt - the Grand Prairie's clay soils, combined with irrigation infrastructure, produce more rice per acre than almost anywhere in the United States, making Stuttgart the nation's rice capital).
County SeatDeWitt
Population17,149
Founded1813 - Arkansas's oldest county
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Arkansas County Office of Emergency Management
Address: 101 Court Square, DeWitt, AR 72042
Phone: (870) 946-1560
Alert System: AR Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Contact county OEM; Stuttgart and DeWitt community facilities
FEMA Region: Region 6
Notes: East Arkansas Delta county; Arkansas River and White River basin (significant flood risk – the county lies between major river systems); tornado corridor; Arkansas County is the rice and duck hunting capital of the world; Stuttgart and DeWitt are the two county seats (one of only two counties in the US with two county seats); agricultural flooding from rice field irrigation drainage
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Arkansas County Road Department – (870) 946-1560
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response only; rural Delta county
Road Conditions: ARDOT – idrivearkansas.com
Notes: US-79 and US-165 are main corridors; Stuttgart is the larger city; flat Delta terrain; Grand Prairie rice farming culture; Arkansas Post (historic site) nearby on the Arkansas River
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Arkansas County – (870) 946-1560
Services: Basic building permits for unincorporated areas; Stuttgart and DeWitt have separate permits
Notes: Agricultural county; rice farming infrastructure; duck hunting lodges and blinds generate seasonal permit activity; limited residential development
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Arkansas County Veterans Service Office – (870) 946-1560
VA Medical: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (Little Rock) – (501) 257-1000; also VA Clinic in Pine Bluff
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Rural Delta county; VA access requires travel to Little Rock or Pine Bluff; telehealth expanding
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Arkansas collection, children’s programs
Notes: Two-branch system serving both county seats; rural Delta library serving agricultural community; internet access critical for dispersed population
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Arkansas Post National Memorial (NPS – site of first permanent European settlement in the lower Mississippi Valley; 1686; Civil War battle site; excellent birding); White River National Wildlife Refuge (world-class duck hunting; waterfowl migration); Stuttgart Duck Festival/Wings Over the Prairie Festival (annual); Grand Prairie rice farming landscape; Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area
Notes: Arkansas County calls itself the “Rice and Duck Capital of the World” – Stuttgart’s Wings Over the Prairie Festival draws thousands of duck hunters annually; the White River NWR is one of the most important waterfowl wintering areas in North America; Arkansas Post’s historical significance as the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi Valley is profound
Notes: Rural agricultural county; basic GIS through state resources; flood mapping important for river basin management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Arkansas County Animal Control – (870) 946-1560
Services: Basic animal control; Stuttgart area humane society
Notes: Rural agricultural county; livestock management important; duck hunting dog culture significant; waterfowl and hunting regulations managed by AGFC (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Arkansas County – (870) 946-1560; Stuttgart and DeWitt solid waste
Recycling: Very limited; rural Delta county
Environmental: Arkansas DEQ – adeq.arkansas.gov; Army Corps of Engineers (Arkansas River and White River management); AGFC (waterfowl habitat); rice field drainage water management
Notes: Rice farming creates unique agricultural drainage and water management issues; White River and Arkansas River flood management through Army Corps of Engineers levees and dams; waterfowl habitat protection (bottomland hardwoods) is an important conservation priority; pesticide and herbicide use in rice production monitored by ADEQ
About Arkansas County
Arkansas County is the Duck and Rice Capital of the World – Stuttgart’s World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest and the Grand Prairie’s extraordinary rice production make this the center of American waterfowl hunting culture.
Stuttgart (population ~9,000) hosts the annual World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest – the most prestigious duck calling competition in the world, drawing contestants who train year-round to win the championship. The flooded rice fields of the Grand Prairie create exceptional waterfowl habitat.
Arkansas County is also Arkansas’s oldest county, established 1813 from the Missouri Territory – making DeWitt the governmental seat of the state’s founding county.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Arkansas County Assessor at 101 Court Square, Suite 4, DeWitt, AR 72042, phone 870-946-4127. AR residential assessed at 20% of market value.
Public Records
Arkansas Dept of Health — Arkansas County Health Units:
Stuttgart Health Unit: 206 W. 22nd Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160 — (870) 673-1136
DeWitt Health Unit: (870) 946-3511 (confirm address)
WIC, immunizations, vital records (birth/death certificates), STD/HIV, family planning, environmental health
Arkansas Dept of Human Services (DHS): dhs.arkansas.gov — SNAP, Medicaid, childcare
Local DHS office: Stuttgart or DeWitt area (confirm via dhs.arkansas.gov)
Recommended
Search Arkansas County public records for DeWitt, Stuttgart, and Arkansas County residents.
Courts & Legal
Arkansas County Circuit Clerk at 101 Court Square, DeWitt, AR 72042, phone 870-946-4349, handles probate.
Senior Services
Area Agency on Aging: Southeast Arkansas Area Agency on Aging (SEAAAA) or East Arkansas AAA — confirm which serves Arkansas County
Meals on Wheels, transportation, senior centers
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
101 Court Square, DeWitt, AR 72042
(870) 946-2405
CIRCUIT CLERK (Deeds, Court Records)
101 Court Square, DeWitt, AR 72042
(870) 946-2403
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Arkansas County Circuit/County Clerk, both districts (marriage licenses, will and estate case files, land records from 1803 – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Grand Prairie Historical Society, P.O. Box 122, Gillett, AR 72055
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Arkansas County has two districts, each with its own courthouse – file in whichever is more convenient.
Southern District (DeWitt) – 101 Court Square, DeWitt, AR 72042. (870) 946-4219. Northern District (Stuttgart) – 302 South College Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160. (870) 659-2098. Hours (both): Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Arkansas has one of the more generous small-estate thresholds in the country, so check this first.
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where total property value (after debts, excluding the homestead and statutory spousal/minor-child allowances) is $100,000 or less. Available 45 days after the death. Filed using Form 23 (Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee) under Ark. Code § 28-41-101 – no personal representative is appointed, and no full administration is needed.
Independent Administration – available when the will authorizes it, or when all heirs agree to it. The personal representative acts with minimal court oversight at each step.
Supervised Administration – the traditional, more heavily court-involved track; used for contested estates or when independent administration isn’t available or agreed to.
Administration with Will Annexed – used when a valid will doesn’t name an executor, or the named executor can’t or won’t serve.
If using the small estate affidavit
Wait at least 45 days after the death.
Confirm the estate’s total value (after debts, excluding homestead and statutory allowances) is $100,000 or less and there are no unresolved claims against the estate.
Complete Form 23, the Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee, listing the property and heirs.
File it with the Probate Clerk, or present it with a certified death certificate directly to banks or other institutions holding the property.
If filing for independent or supervised administration
Gather the original will (if any), a certified death certificate, a list of assets/debts, and names of heirs.
File a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative (Form 3, if there’s a will) or a Petition for Appointment of Administrator/Administratrix (Form 2, if there isn’t) with the Probate Division. Filing fee is $165.
If there’s a will, the court formally admits it to probate; the court then issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative must file an inventory of estate assets within 2 months of appointment.
Creditor notice must be published in a local newspaper, plus direct notice to known creditors; creditors then have 6 months from the date of first publication to file claims.
If independent administration applies, the personal representative can act on most matters without seeking court approval at each step.
After debts are resolved, the personal representative files a final settlement with the court; once approved, the estate closes.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit: no separate court filing fee (a nominal recording fee may apply depending on what’s being transferred).
Formal probate filing fee: $165 (may vary somewhat by county).
Personal representative and attorney compensation: no fixed statutory rate – courts typically look to roughly 2–5% of the estate’s value as a reasonable baseline, subject to court approval as “just and reasonable.”
No state estate tax or inheritance tax in Arkansas.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
110 Court Square, DeWitt, AR 72042
(870) 946-2323
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Unit
(870) 946-2295
DHS / SNAP / Medicaid
(800) 482-8988
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Arkansas County Health Unit (ADHE) – Stuttgart: (870) 673-2291; DeWitt: (870) 946-3561
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Hospital: Baptist Health Medical Center – Stuttgart | (870) 673-3511; limited services
Notes: Rural Delta county with health disparities common in the Delta region; Stuttgart hospital provides limited services; specialty care requires travel to Little Rock; Arkansas Delta has some of the worst health outcomes in the US
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: DeWitt
Population: 17,149
Area: 988 sq mi
Established: 1813 - Arkansas's oldest county
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Arkansas County residents.
