Arkansas Divorce Papers and Forms: What You Actually Need to File

The Paperwork Arkansas Circuit Courts Actually Require

Arkansas circuit courts won't accept a single generic "divorce form." You need a specific packet of documents, filed together, in the right order. Miss one and the clerk sends you home.

Here's the complete list for an uncontested divorce filing in Arkansas:

Core filing documents:

• Complaint for Divorce — Your main pleading. It identifies both spouses, states the marriage date, asserts your statutory ground (usually general indignities for uncontested cases under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-301), and requests specific relief like property division or name restoration.
• Domestic Relations Cover Sheet — Required by Administrative Order No. 8. This one-page statistical form tells the court what type of domestic case you're filing. Every Arkansas circuit court requires it.
• Summons — The clerk generates this after you file, but you need to know it exists because you're responsible for getting it served on your spouse within 120 days.

If you have minor children, add:

• Confidential Information Sheet — Contains your children's Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Filed under seal to protect their identities from public records.
• Child Support Worksheet — Arkansas uses the Income Shares Model. You'll calculate each parent's gross income, apply the guidelines from Administrative Order No. 10, and arrive at a presumptive support amount.
• Parenting Plan — Outlines custody, visitation schedules, and decision-making authority. Required in every case involving minor children.

Financial disclosure (mandatory in all cases):

• Affidavit of Financial Means — Administrative Order No. 10 requires both spouses to exchange completed financial affidavits with supporting documentation (tax returns, pay stubs, asset registers). This isn't optional even in fully agreed cases.

Where to Get Arkansas Divorce Forms for Free

Arkansas makes official court forms available through two main sources:

ARLawHelp.org — Run by Legal Aid of Arkansas, this site offers interactive form-assembly interviews that generate court-ready PDFs. You answer questions about your situation and it populates the correct fields. Income eligibility requirements apply for some services, but the basic forms are accessible to everyone.

ArkCourts.gov — The Arkansas Judiciary website publishes administrative orders, standard form templates, and the domestic relations benchbook. The forms here are blank templates in legal language without step-by-step instructions.

Your county circuit clerk's office may also have paper copies available at the filing window, though clerks are legally prohibited from helping you fill them out or giving procedural advice.

The Documents You'll Need After Filing

Filing the Complaint opens your case, but several more documents are needed before you reach the finish line:

• Entry of Appearance and Waiver of Service — If your spouse is cooperative, they sign this notarized document instead of being formally served by a sheriff. It waives formal service and lets the case move forward immediately.
• Marital Settlement Agreement — The written contract where both spouses agree on property division, debt allocation, custody, and support. Required for every uncontested divorce.
• Resident Witness Affidavit — A third-party Arkansas resident must sign a notarized affidavit confirming your physical presence in the state. This is mandatory under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-306(c)(1) — the court won't take your word for residency alone.
• Proposed Decree of Divorce — The final order you want the judge to sign. You draft it and submit it with your settlement agreement.

Common Mistakes That Get Your Paperwork Rejected

Filing without the Cover Sheet. The Domestic Relations Cover Sheet is easy to overlook because it feels administrative, but clerks won't docket your case without it.

Skipping notarization. The Entry of Appearance and Waiver, the Resident Witness Affidavit, and the In Forma Pauperis petition (if applicable) all require notarization. A missing notary stamp means a trip back to the courthouse.

Submitting the wrong child support calculation. Arkansas strictly follows the Income Shares Model under Administrative Order No. 10. Using a generic online calculator from another state will produce incorrect numbers that the judge will reject.

Forgetting the financial disclosure. Even if both spouses agree on everything, the Affidavit of Financial Means is mandatory. Courts use it to verify that the settlement terms are fair and that child support meets the guidelines.

Forms vs. Process: What the Paperwork Can't Tell You

Blank forms don't explain which statutory ground to choose, how the 30-day waiting period works, or what happens if your spouse ignores the papers. They don't tell you whether your county allows finalization by written affidavit or requires an in-person hearing.

The Arkansas Divorce Filing Process Guide walks you through each document in sequence — what to write in each field, when to file it, and what the clerk expects to see — so your paperwork is accepted on the first attempt.

See more Arkansas guides →