Title 28 — — Appendix Administrative Order Number 12 — Official Probate Forms

This chapter applies to a will of a testator who dies after July 31, 1995.

This chapter shall be applied and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the subject of this chapter among states enacting it.

This chapter may be cited as the “Uniform Testamentary Additions to Trusts Act of 1995.”

The repeal of any statutory provision by this chapter does not impair, or otherwise affect, any will, devise, or bequest or any trust existing on August 1, 1995, nor does the repeal of any statutory provision by this chapter impair any contract or affect any right accrued before …

This chapter takes effect on August 1, 1995.

(a) The survivor of spouses with respect to whom a joint federal income tax return has been filed, upon the death of the other, shall be entitled to receive any refund of tax due from the Internal Revenue Service in his or her own right upon making proof of the death of the other…

(a) (1) In addition to their homestead, dower, and curtesy rights, the surviving spouse and minor children of a decedent, or either in the absence of the other, shall be entitled to have assigned to them out of the property owned by the decedent at the time of his or her death, p…

A surviving spouse may reside in the chief residence of the deceased spouse for two (2) months after death, whether or not dower or curtesy is assigned sooner, without being liable for any rent. In the meantime, the surviving spouse shall have a reasonable sustenance out of the e…

If the dower or curtesy of any surviving spouse is not assigned and laid off within two (2) months after the death of a deceased spouse, the surviving spouse shall remain in and possess the chief residence of the deceased spouse, together with the land thereto attached, free of a…

Until curtesy or dower is apportioned, the court shall order such sums to be paid to the surviving spouse out of the rent of the real estate as shall be in proportion to his or her interest in the real estate.

If the court finds that the estate is evidently solvent and that the share of a distributee who is a minor is sufficient to provide therefor, the court may order the personal representative to pay an allowance, reasonable according to the usual standard of living of the family, t…

(a) If the owner of a homestead dies leaving a surviving spouse, but no children, and the surviving spouse has no separate homestead in his or her own right, the homestead shall be exempt, and the rents and profits thereof shall vest in the surviving spouse during his or her natu…

(a) Whenever any resident of this state shall die, leaving a surviving spouse or children who may desire to claim the benefit of Arkansas Constitution, Article 9, §§ 6 and 10 or § 28-39-201, he or she shall file with the probate clerk of the circuit court of the county in which t…

(a) Upon written application to the clerk by any party interested in the estate of a deceased person, setting forth that the homestead so claimed by the surviving spouse or children, if a lot in any city, town, or village, exceeds the value of two thousand five hundred dollars ($…

(a) Whenever it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the court having probate jurisdiction, by the appraisal of the commissioners provided for in this chapter, that the lot exceeds in value the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), it shall be the duty of t…

(a) Either party may put in issue the truth of the report of the commissioners, by a petition filed in the court having probate jurisdiction. (b) A summons shall be issued as in other cases, giving at least fifteen (15) days' notice to the adverse party, requiring him or her to a…

A.C.A. § 28-39-206Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

When the provisions of the foregoing sections have been complied with by the parties claimant, any administrators or executors of the estate of the deceased who shall assume the possession of or in any manner disturb the surviving spouse or children of the deceased in the enjoyme…

(a) It shall be the duty of the heir at law of any estate of which the surviving spouse is entitled to dower or curtesy to lay off and assign the dower or curtesy as soon as practicable after the death of the deceased spouse. If the heirs to any estate are minors, they shall act,…

(a) The heirs in any estate cannot assign or secure an assignment of dower or curtesy in lands in this state unless and until the heirs of the estate comply with the provisions set out in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. (b) Before assignment of dower or curtesy can be ma…

(a) If dower or curtesy is not assigned to the surviving spouse within one (1) year after the death of his or her spouse, or within three (3) months after demand made therefor, the surviving spouse may file a written petition in the circuit court. This petition shall include a de…

(a) In all cases when it orders and decrees dower or curtesy to any surviving spouse, the court shall appoint three (3) commissioners of the vicinity who shall proceed to the premises in question and, by survey and measurement, lay off and designate by proper metes and bounds the…

In cases in which lands or tenements will not permit division, the court, being satisfied of that fact or on the report of the commissioners to that effect, shall order that the tenements or lands be rented out and that one-third (⅓) part of the proceeds be paid to the surviving …

In proceedings in the circuit court for the allotment of dower or curtesy, when it appears to the court that dower or curtesy cannot be allotted out of the real estate without great prejudice to the surviving spouse or heirs and that it will be most to the interest of the parties…

If the heir alienates lands of which a surviving spouse is entitled to dower or curtesy, he or she shall still be decreed his curtesy or her dower in the lands so alienated, in whosesoever hands the land may be.

A surviving spouse may bequeath the crop in the ground of the land held by him or her in curtesy or dower at the time of his or her death. If he or she dies intestate, the crop shall go to his or her administrator.

If the land assigned and laid off to any surviving spouse is deforced from his or her possession, the surviving spouse shall have an action for the recovery of possession of the land, with double damages for the deforcement, or a surviving spouse may sue for the damages alone and…

(a) When a married person dies testate as to all or any part of his or her estate, the surviving spouse shall have the right to take against the will if the surviving spouse has been married to the decedent continuously for a period in excess of one (1) year. (b) In the event of …

Within one (1) month after the will of a married person has been admitted to probate, the clerk shall mail a notice to the decedent's surviving spouse at his or her mailing address, if known, in which shall be stated the time within which a written election must be filed by or on…

(a) The election by a surviving spouse to take against the will may be made at any time within one (1) month after the expiration of the time limited for the filing of claims. (b) However, if, at the expiration of the period for making the election, litigation is pending to test …

(a) (1) The election to take against the will shall be:(A) In writing, signed and acknowledged by the surviving spouse or by the guardian of his or her estate; and(B) Filed in the office of the probate clerk of the circuit court.(2) It shall be in substantially the following form…

(a) The right of election of the surviving spouse is personal. It is not transferable and does not survive the surviving spouse. (b) The guardian of the estate of an incompetent surviving spouse, when authorized by the court having jurisdiction over the estate of the ward, may el…

An election made by or on behalf of a surviving spouse to take against the will shall be binding and shall not be subject to revocation, except within the time provided by § 28-39-403 for filing an election and prior to any distribution made on the basis of the election, or there…

(a) Subsequently Born or Adopted Children. Whenever a child shall have been born to or adopted by a testator after the testator has made his or her will, and the testator shall die leaving the after-born or adopted child not mentioned or provided for in his or her will either spe…

(a) The administration of the estate of a decedent from the filing of the petition for probate and administration or for administration until the order of final distribution and the discharge of the last personal representative shall be considered as one (1) proceeding for purpos…

(a) The venue for the probate of a will and for administration shall be:(1) In the county in this state where the decedent resided at the time of his or her death;(2) If the decedent did not reside in this state, then in the county wherein is situated the greater part, in value, …

(a) No will shall be admitted to probate and no administration shall be granted unless application is made to the court for admission to probate within five (5) years from the death of the decedent, subject only to the exceptions stated in this section. (b) This section shall not…

(a) No will shall be effectual for the purpose of proving title to or the right to the possession of any real or personal property disposed of by the will until it has been admitted to probate. (b) Except as provided in § 28-41-101, to be effective to prove the transfer of any pr…

(a) After the death of a testator, the person having custody of his or her will shall deliver it to the court which has jurisdiction of the estate or to the executor named in the will. (b) (1) Upon the written motion of an interested person, the clerk shall issue a citation again…

(a) Prior to the probate of the will and granting of letters testamentary, a person nominated in the will to be executor may take such steps as are reasonably necessary in the management and preservation of the property and rights of the decedent and, subject to the prior rights …

(a) An interested person may petition the court of the proper county:(1) For the admission of the will to probate, although it may not be in his or her possession or may be lost, destroyed, or outside the state;(2) For the appointment of executor if one is nominated in the will;(…

(a) (1) If an interested person desires to be notified before a will is admitted to probate or before a general personal representative is appointed, he or she may file with the clerk a demand for notice.(2) A demand for notice is not effective unless it contains a statement of t…

Upon filing the petition for probate or for the appointment of a general personal representative, if no demand for notice has been filed as provided in § 28-40-108, and if such a petition is not opposed by an interested person, the court in its discretion may hear it immediately …

(a) If the petition for probate or for the appointment of a general personal representative is opposed, or if a demand for notice has been filed under the provisions of § 28-40-108, the court shall, and in all other cases the court may, fix a time and place for a hearing on the p…

(a) (1) (A) Promptly after the letters have been granted on the estate of a deceased person, the personal representative shall cause a notice of his or her appointment to be published stating the date of his or her appointment and requiring all persons having claims against the e…

If there is good cause to believe that the person whose estate is to be administered is not dead, the court, upon petition of an interested person accompanied by an affidavit giving sufficient detail to establish a reasonable possibility that the person whose estate to be adminis…

(a) An interested person may contest the probate of a will, or any part thereof, by stating in writing the grounds of his or her objection and filing them in the court. (b) No will can be contested unless the grounds of objection are filed within the periods hereinafter provided:…

(a) (1) If a statement for grounds for objection to admitting the will to probate is filed before it has been admitted and the notice provided for in § 28-40-110 has been given, no further notice is necessary unless ordered by the court.(2) If the notice provided for in § 28-40-1…

(a) If, prior to the filing of an objection to the probate of a will, real or personal property or any security interest therein is acquired for value by a purchaser from, or a lender to, the personal representative of the estate or a distributee or devisee of the property by the…

(a) If, after a petition for the probate of a will or for the appointment of a general personal representative has been filed and before that petition has been heard, a petition for the probate of a will of the decedent not theretofore presented for probate is filed, the court sh…