How to File for Divorce in Arkansas: The Complete Guide

With a population of over 3 million, Arkansas has the youngest average marriage age among all U.S. states. According to statistics, almost 50% of marriages concluded at a younger age are more likely to end with a divorce. 

As a state with one of the highest divorce rates, the question of how to file for divorce in Arkansas has risen in popularity. 

This is why this article will consider all aspects of filing for divorce in Arkansas. Additionally, how much to file for divorce in Arkansas costs will be estimated.

How to File for Divorce in Arkansas?

You must consider many aspects before answering the question of how to file for divorce in Arkansas online. The first requirement before filing for a divorce in Arkansas is that you must have been a resident for 60 days before applying. 

Another requirement is that the court must accept the "grounds" to file for divorce as reasonable, such as "general indignities" or "separation for 18 months".

You might wonder how to file for divorce in Arkansas online if only one of the spouses wants to get a divorce. In this case, the spouse who initiates the divorce must file for divorce in Arkansas. 

However, it is important that the spouse filing for the divorce in Arkansas must be an Arkansas resident for at least 60 days before the application.

The person filing for divorce in Arkansas is called a plaintiff, and the person against whom the divorce is filed is called the defendant. You must go through all the packets mentioned on the state website.

Step By Step Guide on How to File for Divorce in Arkansas Online:

There are a few steps that you have to consider if you are interested in how to file for divorce in Arkansas online:

1. Submit a Complaint for Divorce.

Make sure you indicate the grounds for divorce and submit the document for filing for divorce in Arkansas to the right institution where you reside. As a rule, a complaint is filed by the plaintiff.

2. The defendant must be served with the Complaint for Divorce and summons

There is a special procedure for how a defendant is usually notified about the complaint and a standardized way of how they receive a summons from the court. After that, they would have 30 to 60 days to file an answer to the complaint (unless the defendant is in jail).

3. The course proceeds with the complaint

Irrespective of whether the answer from the defendant was received by the spouse filing for divorce in Arkansas or not, the court can proceed with the divorce procedure by affidavit.

4. Filing of Deposition

This step is only necessary if no signature from the defendant has been received. As stated on the government website, a party deposition is your sworn.

How to file for divorce in Arkansas online:

Having familiarized yourself with the order of filing for divorce in Arkansas, you might want to consider how to file for divorce in Arkansas online. The best and easiest option for filing for divorce in Arkansas online is to use the official state website listed below.

Arkansas Law Help Website | (a.arlawhelp.org)

The website offers all sorts of self-help information for people interested in filing for divorce in Arkansas. It is possible to browse all steps of filing for divorce in Arkansas and download and submit all the essential forms. Additionally, the website's interface is user-friendly; all the documents, forms, etc., are allocated in different sections.

How Much to File for Divorce in Arkansas costs?

If you want to know how much to file for divorce in Arkansas costs, you have to consider the following points:

• Attorney Fees

One of the first criteria you must consider when checking how much to file for divorce in Arkansas costs is to check the pay your attorney will charge. Pay for an attorney varies greatly from county to county and from attorney to attorney.

• Mediation Fees

Mediation fees are an important point that must be checked before filing for divorce in Arkansas, which might occur in case of a contested divorce. If the parties do not agree on divorce issues, they might require a court to assign a mediator, who will define the final outcome of the divorce.

• Court Fees

When considering how much to file for divorce in Arkansas costs, you must also consider the paperwork fees set by the court. As of 2022, the fee amounts to $165.00 per application. 

The fee can be paid with a card, money check, or order online or in person. The possibilities of covering these costs for filing for divorce in Arkansas vary from county to county.

Key takeaways: If you have considered all aspects of how to file for divorce in Arkansas and checked how much to file for divorce in Arkansas costs, you can always check additional official sources to get more information.