Can I attend the adoption hearing virtually in Arkansas?

Whether you can attend your Arkansas adoption hearing by video or phone is up to the Circuit Court handling your case, so the best step is to ask the Circuit Court clerk in your county. Arkansas has 75 counties, and the clerk can tell you whether remote appearance is offered where you filed and what the judge requires to request it.

What to ask the clerk:

• Does the judge allow video or telephone appearances for adoption hearings?
• Do you need to submit a written request or motion, and by when?
• Which platform does the court use, and who sets up the connection?
• Can everyone who needs to attend (you, your spouse, and the child if applicable) join remotely, or only some of you?

A good time to ask is when you file your petition. The Circuit Court filing fee typically runs $150-$300, and the clerk's office is already your point of contact then.

Who may need to be at the hearing:

• You and your spouse. Plan to be present, and ask the clerk before assuming anything else.
• The child, if 12 or older. Arkansas sets the child consent age at 12 under A.C.A. § 9-9-206. If your child is that age, ask the clerk how the judge handles the child's consent at the hearing, including whether the child may join remotely.
• Anyone whose consent is involved. If a parent's consent or a waiver of consent is part of your case, ask the clerk or an attorney how that person's appearance is handled.

Adult adoptions: If you are adopting an adult, Arkansas requires a hearing, and the petitioner and the person being adopted must appear unless the court excuses either one for good cause. If you hope to appear remotely, you would need to ask the court to excuse an in-person appearance. The clerk can explain how to make that request.

If you live far away: Families who are traveling, deployed, or dealing with work or school schedules often ask about this. The court decides, so raise it early. If the judge requires you to appear in person, you will have time to plan, since the typical stepparent adoption timeline in Arkansas is 3-6 months from start to finish.

Contested or unusual situations: If another parent objects, cannot be located, or something else about your case is out of the ordinary, whether anyone can appear remotely may depend on those facts. An attorney or the Circuit Court clerk can give you guidance for your specific situation.

Either way, the goal is the same: a final adoption order from the Circuit Court. Once it is entered, you can use it to request an updated birth certificate through the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records.

How we help: StepParent Adoption 360 is a document preparation service, not a law firm. You answer questions online, and we prepare the complete court document package for your county, which you file yourself without an attorney. The cost is $349 for the first child, or for one adult adoptee, and $99 for each additional child. Your court-ready documents arrive within 24-48 hours after you finish the questions. We have helped 814 Arkansas families, and 34,000+ families nationally since 2001, and we back our work with a 100% court acceptance guarantee.