Arkansas
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Arkansas — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Arkansas
Arkansas has no divorce-specific statewide judiciary page; the Arkansas Judiciary's public page includes its Pro Se Guide and legal-assistance links. Start there before anything else.
Arkansas Judiciary — Information for the Public
The Judiciary's public page, including the Pro Se Guide and legal-assistance links.
arcourts.gov — public information →Find a divorce lawyer
Arkansas Find a Lawyer
The Arkansas Bar Association's searchable lawyer directory.
arkbar.com — find a lawyer →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Legal Aid of Arkansas
Free civil legal aid serving all 75 counties: 1-800-952-9243.
arlegalaid.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-482-5964 — the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline (number confirmed on the official Arkansas House of Representatives page).
Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence
501-907-5612. The coalition is not a 24-hour hotline — for 24-hour crisis help call Women and Children First at (800) 332-4443.
domesticpeace.com →Unpaid wages in Arkansas
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Arkansas.
Where to go
Arkansas Department of Labor, Wage Claims section
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
$11.00 (2025)
Changing your name in Arkansas
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Arkansas.
How it works
petition the circuit court
Typical court fee
~$165
Newspaper notice required?
no
Small claims court in Arkansas
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Arkansas.
Maximum claim
$5,000
Filing fee
about $35 (varies by district)
Can you bring one?
no — hiring one moves the case to regular civil division
Clearing your criminal record in Arkansas
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Arkansas stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — sealing
What qualifies
non-conviction records; most misdemeanors; nonviolent Class C/D felonies and some drug felonies
Waiting period
none for misdemeanors and nonviolent C/D felonies; 5 years for violent C/D felonies
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Arkansas →
Child support in Arkansas
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Arkansas.
How it's figured
income shares (adopted 2020; guidelines on arcourts.gov) Income Shares Chart and worksheets at arcourts.gov
When it ends
age 18 or high school graduation, whichever is later; if still in HS, until graduation or end of the school year after turning 19, whichever is earlier
Lemon law in Arkansas
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Arkansas's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new and leased motor vehicles during the quality assurance period (warranty term, up to 2 years/24,000 miles)
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts for the same defect or 30+ calendar days out of service
What you get
replacement or full refund (consumer chooses)
Tenant rights in Arkansas
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Arkansas.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month; 3-day notice to quit for nonpayment (civil eviction)
Deposit limits & return
Max 2 months' rent (deposit law applies to landlords with 6+ units or who use a property manager); return within 60 days with a written itemized list
When the landlord won't fix things
No repair-and-deduct and no rent withholding; tenant may cancel the rental agreement 30 days after written notice of an unrepaired required issue
DUI / DWI in Arkansas
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Arkansas handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.15
Typical penalties
24 hours to 1 year in jail (community service may substitute), $150-$1,000 fine, 6-month license suspension
How far back DUIs count
5 years
Gun laws in Arkansas
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (clarified by 2023 Act 777); shall-issue permit available, 21+ (18 military)
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Honors carry licenses from every other state
Filming the police: your rights in Arkansas
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Ark. Code § 5-60-120)
No buffer-zone law
Arkansas has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
Recording a conversation you are part of is legal with just your own consent. No Arkansas-specific court ruling on filming police was verified; a 2015 right-to-record bill (HB 1669) was proposed but its passage could not be verified.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Arkansas
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Arkansas
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Arkansas
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Arkansas
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Arkansas
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →