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Arkansas County
Jefferson County, Arkansas
Pine Bluff's Delta Blues heritage and the Arkansas River port - from Pine Bluff's significant African American cultural heritage (Pine Bluff has a deep Delta Blues and gospel music heritage - the city produced significant musicians and was a center of African American cultural and educational life in Arkansas, with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff - a historically Black university founded 1875 as Branch Normal College being one of the oldest HBCUs in the South) to the Arkansas River's Pine Bluff navigation port and Jefferson County's agricultural delta landscape.
County SeatPine Bluff
Population67,260
Founded1829
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Office: Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management
Address: 101 W Barraque St, Pine Bluff, AR 71601
Phone: (870) 541-5351
Alert System: AR Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio; Pine Bluff city alerts
Shelter Info: Multiple shelter locations; Pine Bluff community facilities
FEMA Region: Region 6
Notes: South-central Arkansas; Pine Bluff is county seat and Arkansas’s fifth-largest city; Arkansas River runs through county (significant flooding); tornado corridor; Jefferson County is one of Arkansas’s most economically challenged urban counties; Pine Bluff Army Arsenal (major munitions depot); significant industrial manufacturing base including paper/timber; majority African American city
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Jefferson County Road Department – (870) 541-5399
Public Transit: Pine Bluff Transit (PBT) – (870) 543-1834; fixed-route bus within Pine Bluff metro; Pine Bluff Regional Airport
Road Conditions: ARDOT – idrivearkansas.com
Notes: US-65 (Pine Bluff to Little Rock – major corridor); US-270; US-79; I-530 connects Pine Bluff to I-30 and Little Rock (40 miles north); railroad through Pine Bluff important for paper/timber industry; Pine Bluff Arsenal generates significant military traffic; Arkansas River port (Pine Bluff Port Authority)
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Jefferson County Planning – (870) 541-5399 | jeffersoncountyar.gov
Services: Building permits for unincorporated county; Pine Bluff (active – separate), White Hall, Redfield, Altheimer, Humphrey, Sherrill have separate permits
Notes: Pine Bluff faces significant economic challenges with population decline; some development in White Hall (growing suburb); Pine Bluff Arsenal construction through Army channels; paper mill and industrial facility maintenance permits; Pines Technology Center development
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Jefferson County Veterans Service Office – (870) 541-5399
VA Medical: Central Arkansas VA (Little Rock) – 40 miles north on I-530; Pine Bluff VA Clinic – (870) 541-9800 (local outpatient clinic)
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment, pension/compensation; Pine Bluff Arsenal active duty coordination
Notes: Pine Bluff VA clinic provides local access; Pine Bluff Arsenal creates military presence; Central Arkansas VA accessible via I-530; active VSO chapters in Pine Bluff
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library System – (870) 534-2159 | pbjclibrary.org
Main: 200 E 8th Ave, Pine Bluff, AR 71601; branches at White Hall and throughout county
Notes: Library system serving a community with significant economic challenges; adult literacy programs are important; UAPB’s John Brown Watson Memorial Library provides supplemental academic resources; genealogy collection reflects the Deep South Delta heritage of the region
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Pine Bluff Convention Center; Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame (Pine Bluff – honors Arkansas music, entertainment, and sports legends); Regional Park; UAPB Golden Lions athletics (Division I – SWAC); Arkansas River water recreation; Lake Pine Bluff; Pine Bluff Arsenal recreation facilities (for military/DOD); Pendleton Prison Rodeo (historical)
Notes: UAPB’s Division I athletics program (historically Black university) is a source of community pride; the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame honors notable Arkansans including Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash (from Kingsland), Al Green, and others; Pine Bluff has significant cultural heritage despite economic challenges; the Arkansas River provides water recreation; Pine Bluff is working to revitalize its downtown through arts-based economic development
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Jefferson County GIS – jeffersoncountyar.gov; Pine Bluff City GIS
Notes: County GIS; Arkansas River flood mapping (Army Corps); Pine Bluff Arsenal mapping through military channels; port authority mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Jefferson County Animal Control – (870) 541-5399; Pine Bluff Animal Services – (870) 543-5865
Services: Stray intake, adoptions, owner surrenders, spay/neuter, animal control
Notes: Humane Society of Jefferson County active; Pine Bluff’s socioeconomic challenges create significant stray animal populations; aggressive spay/neuter programs important; UAPB veterinary science programs provide some community support
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Jefferson County – (870) 541-5399; Pine Bluff Sanitation – (870) 543-1823
Recycling: Pine Bluff city recycling; county drop-off
Environmental: Arkansas DEQ; Army Corps (Arkansas River navigation – McClellan-Kerr system; Pine Bluff is an Arkansas River port); Pine Bluff Arsenal chemical weapons demilitarization legacy (Pine Bluff Arsenal stored and then destroyed chemical weapons including GB nerve agent – the destruction program was completed but legacy environmental monitoring continues); Potlatch/PotlatchDeltic paper mill environmental compliance; Arkansas River water quality
Notes: Pine Bluff Arsenal has a complex environmental legacy – it was a major storage site for chemical weapons (nerve agents and blister agents) that were destroyed through the Chemical Demilitarization Program completed in 2010; ongoing groundwater monitoring is required; the paper/pulp mill in Pine Bluff (International Paper and others historically) has created air and water quality concerns; Arkansas River navigation channel maintenance by Army Corps; Pine Bluff Port Authority manages river cargo operations; the community faces both industrial environmental legacy challenges and disinvestment-related environmental justice concerns
About Jefferson County
Jefferson County is southeast Arkansas’s HBCU heritage and Arkansas River port county – University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s 150-year educational legacy and the river port’s agricultural commerce define a Delta community navigating significant economic challenges.
Pine Bluff (the county seat, population ~42,000) has faced significant population decline and economic challenges over recent decades, but retains deep cultural and historical significance. UAPB – one of Arkansas’s oldest HBCUs – provides higher education and cultural anchoring. The Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame celebrates the region’s musical heritage.
White Hall (population ~5,000) is the county’s most economically active suburb.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Jefferson County Assessor at 101 W. Barraque Street, Suite 102, Pine Bluff, AR 71601, phone 870-541-5334. AR residential assessed at 20% of market value.
Public Records
Jefferson County Health Unit — Pine Bluff: (870) 541-5800 (confirm address)
Jefferson Regional Medical Center: Major hospital in Pine Bluff
Local DHS offices: Multiple Pine Bluff locations (confirm via dhs.arkansas.gov)
Recommended
Search Jefferson County public records for Pine Bluff, White Hall, Altheimer, and Jefferson County residents.
Courts & Legal
Jefferson County Circuit Clerk at 101 W. Barraque Street, Pine Bluff, AR 71601, phone 870-541-5322, handles probate.
Senior Services
Area Agency on Aging: Southeast Arkansas Area Agency on Aging (SEAAAA) — serves Jefferson 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 W. Barraque St., Pine Bluff, AR 71601
(870) 541-5322
CIRCUIT CLERK (Deeds, Court Records)
101 W. Barraque St., Pine Bluff, AR 71601
(870) 541-5374
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Jefferson County Clerk, Probate Division (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Jefferson County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 2215, Pine Bluff, AR 71613, [email protected]
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
In Jefferson County, probate matters are handled by the County Clerk’s Office, while other Circuit Court matters go through the separate Circuit Clerk.
Jefferson County Clerk – Probate Division 101 East Barraque Street, Pine Bluff, AR 71601 (870) 541-5326 (Probate/County Clerk); (870) 541-5311 (Circuit Clerk, other case types) Hours: 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
410 E. Harding Ave., Pine Bluff, AR 71601
(870) 541-5351
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Unit
(870) 534-5941
DHS / SNAP / Medicaid
(800) 482-8988
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Jefferson County Health Unit – (870) 534-7112
Hospital: Jefferson Regional Medical Center (Pine Bluff) – (870) 541-7100 (major regional hospital serving south Arkansas)
Notes: Jefferson Regional is a strong regional hospital serving south-central Arkansas; Pine Bluff has significant public health challenges – high STI rates, poverty-related health conditions; University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) health programs supplement community resources; health disparities are severe in this majority-minority county; Pine Bluff has historically had among the highest violent crime rates in the US which creates trauma health considerations
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Pine Bluff
Population: 67,260
Area: 871 sq mi
Established: 1829
Tier: 3
Public Records
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