What are the adoption laws in Arkansas?

Arkansas adoption law is found in Arkansas Code Annotated Title 9, Chapter 9, and a stepparent adoption is filed in the Circuit Court in your county (Arkansas has 75 counties). Here is how the main rules work for families like yours.

Where you file: Adoption cases go to the Circuit Court, specifically its probate division, or its juvenile division when it is handling adoptions. Your county's Circuit Court clerk can tell you the local filing steps.

Residency: Arkansas has no minimum residency period before you can file (A.C.A. § 9-9-205(a)).

Consent: The written consents you gather depend on your family's situation. Here is what applies:

• A child who is 12 or older must consent to the adoption (A.C.A. § 9-9-206).
• Arkansas allows a parent's consent to be given any time after the child's birth.
• If you are married and adopting, your spouse's consent is part of the filing, along with the petition and any consent forms or grounds for waiver.

When a parent won't or can't consent: Arkansas looks at abandonment, and the period is 12 months (A.C.A. § 9-9-207). Whether your situation meets that standard depends on your facts. For a contested case or a parent you cannot locate, talk to an attorney or the Circuit Court clerk. For a parent whose location is unknown, Arkansas allows service by publication, while a parent you can find may be served personally by a sheriff or process server.

Home study: In a stepparent adoption, the home study is waived (A.C.A. § 9-9-212).

Timeline and cost: A stepparent adoption in Arkansas typically takes 3-6 months. Court filing fees run about $150-$300, and the total cost is typically under $1,000. Hiring an attorney commonly costs $3,000-$5,000+.

Adult adoption: Arkansas permits it. Any individual may be adopted (A.C.A. § 9-9-203), and an adult is anyone 18 or older. Some key points:

• The adult and the adult's spouse must give written consent.
• A home study is not required unless the court directs one.
• The petitioner and the person being adopted must attend a hearing unless the court excuses them for good cause.
• The timeline is typically 4-8 weeks.

After the adoption: