Title 9 — Family Law

(1) As used in this chapter:(1) “Advocate” means an employee, supervisor, or administrator of a shelter;(2) “Dating relationship” means a romantic or intimate social relationship between two (2) individuals that is not a casual relationship or an ordinary fraternization in a busi…

(a) The Department of Finance and Administration shall establish the Arkansas Domestic Violence Shelter Grant Program to assist in the funding of domestic violence shelters in Arkansas. (b) The purpose and criteria of the program is to:(1) Annually evaluate each shelter receiving…

Except to the extent that moneys are available in the Domestic Violence Shelter Fund, a statewide domestic violence entity that receives a grant under this chapter shall not accept money or other assistance from the United States Government or any other entity or person if the ac…

(a) The Department of Finance and Administration shall:(1) Establish the criteria for grant applications and awards in accordance with § 9-6-103(b);(2) Review and grant or deny all or part of a grant application submitted under this chapter in accordance with § 9-6-103(b); and(3)…

(1) A statewide domestic violence entity that receives a grant under this chapter shall distribute funds to a shelter if the shelter:(1) Develops and implements a written nondiscrimination policy to provide services without regard to race, religion, color, age, marital status, na…

(1) A statewide domestic violence entity that receives a grant under this chapter shall distribute funds to a shelter if the shelter:(1) Incorporates in this state as a private nonprofit corporation that is exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(…

(1) A statewide domestic violence entity that receives a grant under this chapter shall distribute funds to a shelter if the shelter:(1) (A) Requires each member of its board of directors to attend an orientation that is administered by a statewide domestic violence entity and ap…

A statewide domestic violence entity that receives a grant under this chapter shall have the right to enter and inspect the premises of a shelter receiving funds under this chapter and perform an annual evaluation or otherwise determine compliance with this chapter.

(1) The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration or his or her designee shall provide an annual report by October 1 of each year to the Chair of the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth and the Chair of the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, …

Information from files, reports, evaluations, inspections, or other sources that is received by the Department of Finance and Administration and its employees and designees or by a statewide domestic violence entity that receives funds under this chapter and its employees and des…

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Advocate for victims of domestic violence” means an employee, supervisor, administrator, or volunteer of a shelter or center for victims of domestic violence authorized and regulated under this chapter;(2) “Communication” means verbal, written, or…

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Changing room” means the same as defined under § 22-3-2201;(2) “Female” means the same as defined under § 22-3-2201;(3) “Male” means the same as defined under § 22-3-2201;(4) “Multi-occupancy” means the same as defined under § 22-3-2201;(5) “Restr…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Child” means a person under eighteen (18) years of age;(2) “Division” means the Division of Children and Family Services of the Department of Human Services;(3) “Investigation” means the process of obtaining a home study, home report, home asse…

(a) (1) If a court of the State of Arkansas requests or orders a licensed social worker of the court's choice to perform any investigation, study, or supervision involving the custody, placement, adoption, or other pertinent matter with regard to a child or children, the licensed…

(a) This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Arkansas Subsidized Guardianship Act”. (b) The purpose of this subchapter is to create the framework for subsidized guardianships in the event that funding becomes available for such a program.

(a) Contingent upon adequate funding, appropriation, and position authorization, both programmatic and administrative, the Department of Human Services shall establish and administer a program of subsidized guardianship. (b) Guardianship subsidies and services for children under …

(a) The Department of Human Services shall promulgate rules to implement this program. (b) The department shall promulgate rules that include eligibility requirements in accordance with any requirements from the funding stream.

(a) A child is eligible for a guardianship subsidy if the Department of Human Services determines the following:(1) The child has been removed from the custody of his or her parent or parents as a result of a judicial determination to the effect that continuation in the custody o…

(a) A written guardianship subsidy agreement must be entered before the guardianship is established. (b) The guardianship subsidy agreement shall become effective upon entry of the order granting guardianship. (c) No guardianship subsidy may be made for any child who has attained…

(a) The amount of the guardianship subsidy shall be determined through agreement between the guardian and the Department of Human Services but cannot exceed the current foster care board rate. (b) The amount of the guardianship subsidy shall be based on consideration of the circu…

(a) All subsidized guardianship records personally identifying a juvenile shall be confidential and shall not be released or otherwise made available except to the following persons or entities and to the extent permitted by federal law:(1) The guardian;(2) The attorney for the g…

(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…