Arkansas death records are stored and maintained by local government and are made available to members of the public under specific conditions. This has been the policy since 1918 in most states in the US.
Whenever a person leaves this mortal coil the physician who certifies death and the cause makes a record which is signed and kept filed. This contains such details as the name of the deceased, date of birth, date of death, as well as the location of the death. It can also provide details of where the person is buried as well as the dependents. At the initial stage it is the coroner and funeral director that provide the information necessary for a correct death record.
Previously all such information would have been kept in paper form but this has now changed thanks to the internet. It is now much simpler to locate and browse death records electronically not just in the site of Arkansas but anywhere in the country.
There can be many reasons for wanting access to these records. For example you may want to build your family tree. Today more of us have an interest in genealogy. It can be fascinating to learn about our ancestors as we would not be here without them. It can also point to certain genetic issues which may affect our health at a later date.
Death records are also important if there is a family legal dispute that needs to be settled, this could be regarding an inheritance or similar issue. They are also important if cashing in a life insurance policy.
Now there is also the problem of the stealing of identity. It is not so uncommon for a criminally minded person to steal a dead person’s identity in order to get social benefits or credit cards. A death record can help prove beyond doubt that a fraud is underway.