How Arkansas DWI courts are organised
A DWI charge in Arkansas is prosecuted in the District Court that serves the county or municipality where the stop happened, not where you live. The clerk's office in that courthouse controls your hearing dates, accepts motions and continuances, and takes payment of fines and court costs. Calendars, filing hours and remote-appearance rules differ from courthouse to courthouse, so confirm them with the clerk before your first date.
Arkansas district courts are the entry-level trial courts for misdemeanor DWI, while circuit courts have jurisdiction over felony DWI. An appeal from a district court DWI conviction goes to circuit court for a trial de novo, and further appeal proceeds to the Arkansas Court of Appeals or Supreme Court.
The state judiciary publishes the authoritative directory of courthouses, judges and calendars at arcourts.gov. Use it to confirm the address and division for your case number; local listings age quickly.
Courthouse locations, hearing calendars, clerk contacts and self-help forms.
The separate licence action, which the criminal court does not decide.
What happens at each stage in Arkansas
A DWI case in Arkansas is heard in the District Court, and it runs on two tracks at once: the criminal case and a separate licence action you must challenge within 7 days of arrest.
- 1Arrest, booking and the chemical test — Officers arrest for DWI under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-65-103 and request a breath, blood or urine test under Arkansas's implied-consent section, Ark. Code Ann. § 5-65-202. Refusing carries its own licence penalty, separate from the criminal charge.
- 2Licence action — request a hearing within 7 days — On arrest the officer issues an Official Driver's License Receipt and a Notice of Suspension, Revocation or Disqualification. You have 7 days from arrest to demand the administrative hearing with Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services; miss it and the suspension takes effect automatically, whatever happens in court.
- 3Arraignment in the District Court — The charge is read, a plea is entered and conditions of release are set in the District Court. Arkansas district courts are the entry-level trial courts for misdemeanor DWI, while circuit courts have jurisdiction over felony DWI.
- 4Pretrial motions and discovery — Defence counsel obtains the police report, test records and calibration or maintenance logs, and may move to suppress the stop or the test result. An appeal from a district court DWI judgment to circuit court is filed within 30 days under the Arkansas district court rules.
- 5Plea or trial, then sentencing — A first DWI conviction carries a fine of $150–$1,000, jail exposure up to 1 year, a licence suspension of 6 months, an ignition interlock requirement. Prior offenses within 5 years push the case into the enhanced-penalty range. A first offense is a misdemeanor with a fine, possible jail, and license suspension.
- 6Appeal — An appeal from a district court DWI judgment to circuit court is filed within 30 days under the Arkansas district court rules.
- 7Reinstatement — An ignition interlock restricted licence is available as an alternative to full suspension under Ark. Code § 5-65-104. Arkansas requires a SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility for 3 years before the licence is restored.
Filing and case handling in Arkansas
- District courts handle traffic and misdemeanor matters, including a first-offense DWI, as entry-level trial courts.
- An appeal from a district court DWI judgment to circuit court is filed within 30 days under the Arkansas district court rules.
- A district court conviction on appeal to circuit court is not counted as a prior offense while the appeal is pending.
- The Office of Driver Services runs the administrative licence suspension separately from the criminal case.
Whatever the local practice, take your citation or case number to every call — clerks index by case, not by name — and get the payable amount for fines and court costs in writing before you pay.
Arkansas ZIP codes covered
These Arkansas ZIP-code pages carry the local court, filing and licensing detail for the area, and each one links back to this resource page.
- 71601 — North cedar
- 71640 — Eudora
- 71652 — Kingsland
- 71653 — Lake village
- 71667 — Star city
- 71670 — Reed
- 71725 — Carthage
- 71758 — Mount holly
- 71763 — Manning
- 71801 — Perrytown
- 71826 — Bradley
- 71841 — Gillham
- 71842 — Horatio
- 71860 — Stamps
- 71866 — Winthrop
- 71909 — Hot springs vill
- 71913 — Lake hamilton
- 71921 — Amity
- 71922 — Antoine
- 71969 — Sims
- 71970 — Story
- 72029 — Clarendon
- 72064 — Hazen
- 72080 — Jerusalem
Counties and cities using these Arkansas resources
Counties
Other Arkansas official resources
Frequently asked questions
- Which court handles a first DWI charge in Arkansas?
- First-offense DWI cases in Arkansas are heard in the District Court for the county where the stop happened. The court clerk's office there sets the arraignment date and accepts filings.
- Does the court case decide whether I keep my licence in Arkansas?
- No. The criminal case and the administrative licence action run separately. The licence action is handled by the AR driver-licensing agency, and the request for a hearing is due within 7 days of arrest.