(a) A proceeding shall be commenced by filing a petition with the circuit clerk of the circuit court or by transfer by another court.
(b) A petition for:(1) A family in need of services may be filed by:(A) Any adult; or(B) Any member ten (10) years of age or older of the immediate family alleged to be in need of services; and(2) Paternity establishment may be filed by:(A) The biological mother;(B) A putative father;(C) A juvenile; or(D) The Office of Child Support Enforcement.
(1) A family in need of services may be filed by:(A) Any adult; or(B) Any member ten (10) years of age or older of the immediate family alleged to be in need of services; and
(A) Any adult; or
(B) Any member ten (10) years of age or older of the immediate family alleged to be in need of services; and
(2) Paternity establishment may be filed by:(A) The biological mother;(B) A putative father;(C) A juvenile; or(D) The Office of Child Support Enforcement.
(A) The biological mother;
(B) A putative father;
(C) A juvenile; or
(D) The Office of Child Support Enforcement.
(c) Concurrent with filing, a copy of any petition that requests that the Department of Human Services take custody or provide family services shall be mailed by the petitioner to the:(1) Secretary of the Department of Human Services; and(2) Attorney of the local Office of Chief Counsel of the Department of Human Services.
(1) Secretary of the Department of Human Services; and
(2) Attorney of the local Office of Chief Counsel of the Department of Human Services.
(d) A fee, including without limitation a fee for filing, copying, or faxing, including without limitation a fee for a petition for adoption and a fee for a petition for guardianship, summons, or subpoena, shall not be charged or collected by the circuit clerk or sheriff's office in a case brought in the circuit court under this subchapter by a governmental entity or nonprofit corporation, including without limitation:(1) The prosecuting attorney;(2) An attorney ad litem appointed in a dependency-neglect case; or(3) The Department of Human Services.
(1) The prosecuting attorney;
(2) An attorney ad litem appointed in a dependency-neglect case; or
(3) The Department of Human Services.
(e) If the circuit clerk's office has a fax machine, the circuit clerk, in a case commenced in the circuit court under this subchapter by a governmental entity or nonprofit corporation, including without limitation the prosecuting attorney, an attorney ad litem appointed in a dependency-neglect case, or the Department of Human Services, shall accept a facsimile transmission of any papers filed under this subchapter as described in Rule 5 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure.