What Is a Court Docket in Benton County
A docket is the running log of events in a court case. Each entry has a date, an event type, the party that filed it, and a short label. The docket is not the case file itself. The case file holds the underlying documents, exhibits, transcripts, and orders. The docket is the index that points to all of them. Benton County Circuit Court dockets are kept by Circuit Clerk Brenda DeShields at 102 NE A St., Bentonville.
Circuit Court dockets and district court dockets do not share the same surface. Circuit dockets sit inside the Arkansas Judiciary Contexte system and appear on CourtConnect. District court dockets are kept inside each city department's case management system. Bentonville District Court uses its own portal; Rogers District Court and most other county departments use Arkansas eTraffic for citation lookups and a separate calendar for docket settings.
How to Find Benton County Dockets Online
The Circuit Court docket portal is Arkansas Judiciary Case Search, linked from the county as CourtConnect and View Dockets. Search runs by party name first. Once a case is open, the docket tab shows every event tied to it. Document links may appear on some entries. Many entries are filing labels only, and the full document must be ordered through the Circuit Clerk.
- Open caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad.
- Pick the Participants search. Enter a first and last name, or use an organization or case description.
- Open Advanced Filters to narrow by court, county, date range, or case category.
- Click into a case from the results. Open the docket view to see the event list.
- Note the case number, the assigned judge, and the next hearing date for any later call to the clerk.
The portal opens at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad.
The docket view shows the chronological event list once a case is open.
Sample Benton County Docket Entry
A single docket entry usually has four to six visible fields. The entry date is when the event was logged. The event type names what happened, like "Complaint Filed" or "Order Entered." The filing party is usually noted. A document link may appear when the underlying document is available online.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Entry Date | Date the event posted to the case. |
| Event Type | Short label for the event (filing, motion, order, hearing, judgment). |
| Party Filing | Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, or the court when issued sua sponte. |
| Document Link | Hyperlink to the underlying PDF when available; many entries are label-only. |
| Hearing Date / Time | If the entry sets or resets a hearing, the new date and time appear. |
| Judge | Assigned judge or division for the next event. |
| Notes | Short free-text notes when the clerk adds context (continuance reason, party absence). |
Courts That Publish Dockets in Benton County
Benton County's seven Circuit Court divisions and ten or so district court departments do not share one docket surface. Circuit divisions post through the state portal. District departments post on their own city pages and through Arkansas eTraffic.
- Circuit Court Divisions 1 - 7 - civil, criminal, probate, domestic relations, and juvenile dockets through CourtConnect.
- Bentonville District Court (Division 2) - traffic, misdemeanor, and ordinance dockets through Municipal Online Services.
- Rogers District Court - traffic, ordinance, misdemeanor, civil, and small claims; payments through Arkansas eTraffic.
- Bella Vista, Pea Ridge, Cave Springs, Centerton, Little Flock, Lowell, Gravette/Gentry, Siloam Springs - district court departments with their own calendars.
- Specialty Courts - Adult Drug, Veterans Treatment, and Mental Health Court dockets are coordinated through Division III and the Specialty Court Administrator at 479-696-9970.
Docket vs Full Case Record
A docket is the trail map. The case record is the file cabinet. The docket entry says "Motion to Continue filed by Defendant." The case file has the actual motion, the proposed order, and the judge's signed ruling. Online portals tend to give the trail map for free. The file cabinet costs money to pull.
| Docket | Full Case Record | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Chronological list of entries | Filed documents, orders, exhibits |
| Access | Often free online through CourtConnect | Often requires a clerk visit or copy fee |
| Use | Track case progress and next hearing | Legal review, evidence, certified copies |
| Fee | $0 to view online | $0.25 per page; $5.00 to certify |
How to Read a Benton County Docket
Docket entries use a short vocabulary. "Complaint Filed" opens a civil case. "Answer Filed" is the defendant's response. "Motion" requests a court action. "Order" is the judge's ruling. "Continuance" pushes a hearing. "Disposition" is the final outcome. A criminal docket adds "Arraignment," "Plea," "Bench Warrant," and "Judgment & Commitment." A domestic docket adds "Standing Order Entered," "Decree of Divorce," "Custody Order," and "Order of Protection."
Disposition labels carry weight. "Dismissed with prejudice" closes a claim and bars refiling. "Dismissed without prejudice" leaves room to refile. "Nolle prosequi" is the prosecutor dropping a charge. "Sealed" or "Expunged" entries restrict the public record under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-90-1401 et seq. When a docket shows "Sealed," the file is closed to ordinary public review under Administrative Order No. 19.
Missed Court and Bench Warrants
A missed hearing date on a Benton County docket can trigger a bench warrant. District court traffic cases produce many of these. Once a judge signs the warrant, it posts on the Sheriff's Zuercher portal at benton-so-ar.zuercherportal.com/warrants. The docket entry will read "Bench Warrant Issued" with the date.
Clearing a bench warrant means a new court setting and, in many cases, posting bond. Sheriff's main phone is 479-271-1008. The Circuit Clerk Criminal desk is 479-271-1016. The Public Defender's office is at 1204 SW 14th St., Suite 4, phone 479-271-1028. Anyone with an active bench warrant should call counsel or the Public Defender before walking into the courthouse.
Hearing Settings and Continuances
Benton County dockets fill quickly. Hearings are set by court order, by clerk scheduling, or by the standing administrative plan for each division. The Circuit Clerk's forms page publishes the Administrative Plan (Effective 2026) that governs current scheduling. Continuances appear on the docket as separate entries with the new date and a short reason field when the clerk adds one. Both sides usually need to consent or the court has to find good cause; a missed hearing typically draws a bench warrant in criminal cases or a default in civil cases.
The clerk's office cannot move a hearing on its own. Motions to continue go to the assigned judge. Bentonville District Court, Rogers District Court, and the other district court departments each manage their own calendars. Cross-court coordination, when needed, runs through counsel or the Specialty Court Administrator for treatment-court cases.
Civil and Criminal Docket Differences
Civil dockets and criminal dockets follow different rhythms. A civil docket runs from complaint, answer, scheduling order, discovery, dispositive motions, mediation, trial, and judgment. A criminal docket runs from charging document or first appearance, arraignment, bond, plea, pretrial motions, trial, sentence, and judgment and commitment. A domestic relations docket runs from complaint or petition, standing order entry, service, temporary hearings, financial disclosures, trial or settlement, decree, and any post-decree modification. A probate docket runs from petition, appointment, letters testamentary, notice to creditors, inventory, accounting, sale orders, and final settlement.
Reading the right rhythm prevents mistakes. A "Continuance" in a civil case rarely affects jail status. A "Continuance" in a criminal case might affect bond, custody, or speedy-trial timelines. A "Decree" closes a domestic relations case but leaves room for post-decree contempt or modification. A "Final Settlement" closes a probate case but a creditor may still seek a reopening under narrow rules.
Appeals From Benton County Dockets
Civil and criminal appeals from Circuit Court go to the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Some matters move directly to the Arkansas Supreme Court. The notice of appeal posts on the docket as a separate event. District court criminal appeals route to Circuit Court for de novo review under Arkansas appellate rules. The case number stays the same in the Circuit Clerk system once the case is opened, with a new appellate case number assigned by the higher court when the record transfers.
Docket Confidentiality and Sealed Entries
Some docket entries are restricted on purpose. Juvenile dockets are not in the public CourtConnect view under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309. Adoption matters are sealed under § 9-9-217. Sealed criminal cases drop off public view under the Comprehensive Criminal Record Sealing Act of 2013. A docket that shows a sealed-case entry typically displays the date and a sealed-status label, with the underlying documents hidden. Mental health and dependency-neglect dockets are also restricted; the case index may show a number without further public detail.