Title 9 — Family Law

(a) After a consent to adoption under § 9-9-208 or a relinquishment of parental rights under § 9-9-220 is executed with regard to a minor in the physical custody of a hospital or birthing center within the State of Arkansas, the biological mother of a minor child may authorize th…

(a) In all custodial placements by the Department of Human Services in foster care or adoption, the court shall give preferential consideration to an adult relative over a nonrelated caregiver, provided that the relative caregiver meets all relevant child protection standards and…

(a) Upon the request of any interested party, agency, or the court, the petitioner in any adoption proceeding shall file with the court an affidavit stating the number of adoption home studies conducted on the petitioner's home prior to the filing of the petition. (b) A copy of e…

(a) The General Assembly finds that:(1) There is a need for more information on adoptions that occur in Arkansas;(2) No governmental agency has the responsibility for gathering information on Arkansas adoptions; and(3) Without adequate data, the General Assembly cannot make infor…

(a) As used in this section, “employer” means public and private employers, including state departments, agencies, and political subdivisions. (b) (1) An employer that permits paternity leave or maternity leave for a biological parent after the birth of a child shall permit pater…

This subchapter may be cited as the “Revised Uniform Adoption Act”.

(1) As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Child” means a son or daughter, whether by birth or by adoption;(2) “Court” means all probate divisions of circuit courts in this state, or the juvenile divisions of circuit courts when exercising jurisdic…

Any individual may be adopted.

(1) The following individuals may adopt:(1) A husband and wife together although one (1) or both are minors;(2) An unmarried adult;(3) The unmarried father or mother of the individual to be adopted;(4) A married individual without the other spouse joining as a petitioner, if the …

(a) Jurisdiction of adoption of minors:(1) The state shall possess jurisdiction over the adoption of a minor if the person seeking to adopt the child, or the child, is a resident of this state.(2) For purposes of this subchapter:(A) A child under the age of six (6) months shall b…

(a) Unless consent is not required under § 9-9-207, a petition to adopt a minor may be granted only if written consent to a particular adoption has been executed by:(1) The mother of the minor;(2) The father of the minor if:(A) The father was married to the mother at the time the…

(a) Consent to adoption is not required of:(1) a parent who has deserted a child without affording means of identification or who has abandoned a child;(2) a parent of a child in the custody of another, if the parent for a period of at least one (1) year has failed significantly …

(a) The required consent to adoption shall be executed at any time after the birth of the child and in the manner following:(1) If by the individual to be adopted, consent must be given or affirmed to the court at the adoption hearing;(2) If by an agency, by the executive head or…

(a) A consent to adoption cannot be withdrawn after the entry of a decree of adoption. (b) (1) (A) A natural person may withdraw his or her consent to adopt within ten (10) calendar days, or, if a waiver of the ten-day period is elected under subdivision (b)(3) of this section, f…

(a) A petition for adoption signed and verified by the petitioner shall be filed with the clerk of the court, and state:(1) The date and place of birth of the individual to be adopted, if known;(2) The name to be used for the individual to be adopted;(3) The date the petitioner:(…

(a) Except as specified in subsection (b) of this section, the petitioner, in any proceeding for the adoption of a minor, shall file, before the petition is heard, a full accounting report in a manner acceptable to the court of all disbursements of anything of value made or agree…

(a) (1) Before any hearing on a petition, the period in which the relinquishment may be withdrawn under § 9-9-220 or in which consent may be withdrawn under § 9-9-209, whichever is applicable, must have expired.(2) No orders of adoption may be entered prior to the period for with…

(a) (1) In an adoption where the child is not in the custody of the Department of Human Services, a final decree of adoption shall not be issued until the minor to be adopted has lived in the home for at least six (6) months after:(A) Placement by a child placement agency license…

(a) The petitioner and the individual to be adopted shall appear at the hearing on the petition, unless the presence of either is excused by the court for good cause shown. (b) The court may continue the hearing from time to time to permit further observation, investigation, or c…

(a) A final decree of adoption, whether issued by a court of this state or of any other place, has the following effect as to matters within the jurisdiction or before a court of this state:(1) Except with respect to a spouse of the petitioner and relatives of the spouse, to reli…

(a) An appeal from any final order or decree rendered under this subchapter may be taken in the manner and time provided for appeal from a judgment in a civil action. (b) Subject to the disposition of an appeal, upon the expiration of one (1) year after an adoption decree is issu…

(a) Notwithstanding any other law concerning public hearings and records:(1) (A) All hearings held in proceedings under this subchapter shall be held in closed court without admittance of any person other than essential officers of the court, the parties, their witnesses, counsel…

A decree of court terminating the relationship of parent and child or establishing the relationship by adoption issued pursuant to due process of law by a court of any other jurisdiction within or without the United States shall be recognized in this state. The rights and obligat…

Upon entry of a final decree of adoption, the clerk of the court shall prepare an application for a birth record in the new name of the adopted individual and forward the application to the appropriate vital statistics office of the place, if known, where the adopted individual w…

(a) With the exception of the duty to pay child support, the rights of a parent with reference to a child, including parental right to control the child or to withhold consent to an adoption, may be relinquished and the relationship of parent and child terminated in or prior to a…

This subchapter shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it.

(a) The following acts and laws and parts of laws in conflict herewith are repealed as of the effective date of this subchapter:(1) Acts 1947, No. 369;(2) Acts 1953, No. 254;(3) Acts 1953, No. 265;(4) Acts 1969, No. 303, § 17. (1) Acts 1947, No. 369; (2) Acts 1953, No. 254; (3) A…

A.C.A. § 9-9-223Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

(a) In all cases involving a child born to a mother unmarried at the time of the child's birth, the following procedure shall apply:(a) Upon filing of the petition for adoption and prior to the entry of a decree for adoption a certified statement shall be obtained from the Putati…

(a) In an adoption proceeding concerning a minor who is not in the custody of the Department of Human Services, a prospective adoptive parent may voluntarily enter into a written agreement with a birth parent of the minor concerning post-adoption exchange of information, communic…

All adoptions that have been granted by the probate courts of this state under authority of Acts 1947, No. 369, § 7 [repealed], when the guardian appointed was appointed under the guardianship procedures outlined under Acts 1911, No. 215, § 12 [repealed] and Acts 1947, No. 369, §…

A.C.A. § 9-9-302Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

A.C.A. § 9-9-303Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

A.C.A. § 9-9-304Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Arkansas Subsidized Adoption Act” and includes only state-funded adoptions.

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Child” means a minor as defined by Arkansas law; and(2) “Special needs” means a child who is not likely to be adopted by reason of one (1) or more of the following conditions:(A) The child has special needs for medical or rehabilitative care;(B…

The purpose of this subchapter is to supplement the Arkansas adoption statutes by making possible through public financial subsidy the most appropriate adoption of each child certified by the Department of Human Services as requiring a subsidy to assure adoption.

(a) The Department of Human Services shall establish and administer an ongoing program of subsidized adoption by persons who are determined by the department to be eligible to adopt under this subchapter. (b) Subsidies and services for children under this program shall be provide…

(a) The Department of Human Services shall adopt rules consistent with this subchapter. (b) The department shall adopt rules to ensure that post-adoptive services are provided to adoptive parents who seek the assistance of the department to prevent the adoption from being disrupt…

All records regarding subsidized adoption shall be confidential and may be opened for inspection only under the provisions of § 9-9-217.

(a) A family is initially eligible for a subsidy for purposes of adoption if:(1) (A) No other potential adoptive family has been identified and is willing and able to adopt the child without the use of a subsidy.(B) In the case of a child who has established significant emotional…

(a) When parents are found and approved for adoption of a child certified as eligible for a subsidy and before the final decree of adoption is issued, there must be a written agreement between the family entering into the subsidized adoption and the Department of Human Services. …

(a) The amount of the subsidy may be readjusted periodically with the concurrence of the adopting parents, which may be specified in the adoption subsidy agreement, depending upon a change in circumstances. (b) The subsidy may be for special services not covered by any other avai…

(a) (1) The subsidy agreement shall be binding and constitute an obligation against the State of Arkansas until the adopted child reaches the age of eighteen (18) years or the benefits available to him or her under the subsidy agreement are provided by other state or federal prog…

(a) (1) (A) When subsidies are for more than one (1) year, the adoptive parents shall present an annual sworn certification that the adopted child remains under their care and that the condition that caused the child to be certified continues to exist.(B) An adoptive parent commi…

Any subsidy decision by the Department of Human Services which the placement agency or the adoptive parents deem adverse to the child shall be reviewable according to the provisions of § 20-76-408.

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Administrator” means the person charged with maintenance and supervision of a registry and may include the administrator's agents, employees, and designees;(2) “Adoptee” means a person who has been legally adopted in this state;(3) “Adoption” m…

(a) (1) No person, agency, entity, or organization of any kind, including, but not limited to, any officer or employee of this state and any employee, officer, or judge of any court of this state shall disclose any confidential information relating to any adoption, except as prov…

(a) (1) A mutual consent voluntary adoption registry may be established and maintained by any licensed voluntary agency involved in an adoption.(2) Persons eligible to receive identifying information shall work through the agency involved in the adoption. If that agency has merge…

(a) (1) The adult adoptee and each birth parent and each individual related within the second degree whose identity is to be disclosed may voluntarily place his or her name in the appropriate registry by submitting a notarized affidavit stating his or her name, address, and telep…