State guide
Arkansas
Arkansas adult guardianship petitions are filed in circuit court, probate division, and the Arkansas Judiciary publishes statewide official probate forms including the petition for appointment of guardian of the person and estate. Arkansas also enacted the Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act in Title 28, Chapter 65, Subchapter 8 as a less restrictive option for some adults with disabilities.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Court that handles adult guardianship
- Adult guardianship and conservatorship matters are handled in the circuit court's probate division.
- What it's called
- guardian of the person and guardian of the estate; conservatorship is also listed as a separate probate case type on the official probate cover sheet.
- Official forms and self-help
- Official page →
- Filing fee
- $165.00 to initiate any cause of action in Circuit Court (Pulaski County Circuit/County Clerk fee schedule for CIVIL, DOMESTIC, PROBATE cases, including appeals).
- Less-restrictive alternatives
- Arkansas has the Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act, Ark. Code Ann. §§ 28-65-801 to 28-65-812, described by the legislature as a less restrictive alternative to guardianship for some adults with disabilities.
- Law
- Ark. Code Ann. Title 28, Chapter 65; supported decision-making at Ark. Code Ann. §§ 28-65-801 to 28-65-812.
Official resources in Arkansas
Statewide official probate forms page with guardianship forms such as the petition, notice, bond, letters, inventory, accounting, and annual report.
General court forms page where guardianship forms and probate cover sheets are listed.
Largest-county filing office page for new civil, domestic, and probate cases, with probate forms and filing contacts.
Official Arkansas code and constitution portal for guardianship and conservatorship statutes.
Key facts for Arkansas
- Arkansas circuit courts include a probate division effective January 1, 2002.
- The official probate forms include Form 24, Petition for Appointment of Guardian of the Person and Estate.
- The Arkansas probate cover sheet lists separate probate case types for Conservatorship and Guardianship of an Adult.
- Pulaski County publishes a $165.00 fee to initiate any circuit-court case, including probate cases.
- Pulaski County publishes a $50.00 fee for filing and recording guardianship accounts and settlements.
- Arkansas enacted the Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act in 2021.
County court guardianship pages in Arkansas
| Court | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski Circuit and County Clerk - Central Receiving Pulaski | Little Rock | 501-340-8412 | Files all new civil, domestic, and probate court cases in Pulaski County. |
| Pulaski Circuit and County Clerk Pulaski | Little Rock | 501-340-8500 | Main clerk office for Pulaski County; the page lists courthouse address and hours. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Start with the Arkansas official probate forms and the probate cover sheet before going to the clerk.
- If you are filing in Pulaski County, Central Receiving handles new probate cases and posts probate forms online.
- Ask the clerk whether your county accepts eFiling; Arkansas reports probate eFiling in Pulaski County circuit court.
Not seeing your court or county?
Not every court publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Arkansas's population center, for comparison only):
- DeSoto County Chancery Clerk, Mississippi · about 157 miles
- Probate Court, Tennessee · about 157 miles
- Oklahoma Human Services - Private Guardianship Background Check, Oklahoma · about 232 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Arkansas Judiciary Official Probate Forms
Website →Phone: (501) 682-9400 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Arkansas page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.