Family Law
Protect your kids, time, and money.
We help you move through divorce, custody, adoption, and prenuptial agreements with clarity and calm. You get plain-English steps, steady updates, and a plan you can follow—start to finish.
Confidential. Respectful. Right-sized to your situation.
Click Here to Book Your Free Consultation Takes ~60 seconds • No obligation • Fast call back
What Families Worry About Most
When life shifts, the law can feel big and cold. You want clear steps, steady updates, and a plan that protects your kids and your future. Here are the worries we hear most:
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Losing time with your kids
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Splitting the house, savings, and debt fairly
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Confusing paperwork, deadlines, and court rules
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Slow updates and not knowing what comes next
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Keeping things private and lowering conflict
Family Law Help That Works
We guide you through the issues that matter most: divorce (contested and uncontested), child custody, adoption, and prenuptial agreements. Our approach balances protection and peace—so you can make good choices under stress.
What’s included
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Custody-first strategy to protect your parenting time
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Options for settlement or mediation before court
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Clear written scope and next steps
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Regular updates and quick replies
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Local filings and deadlines handled for you
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Trial-ready when needed
Simple, Calm Process
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Book a Call — We listen, learn the facts, and set goals.
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Plan & Prepare — You get a simple checklist and a timeline.
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Act & Adjust — We file, negotiate, or try the case—and keep you updated
Takes ~60 seconds • No obligation • Fast call back
Takes ~60 seconds • No obligation • Fast call back
Clear Prices
You’ll see the price before work begins. We explain options, the likely path, and what each step covers—so you stay in control.
Goal-setting call and strategy outline
Document prep and filing
Custody, support, and property analysis
Settlement offers and counteroffers
Court prep (if needed) and hearing support
Status updates with plain-English summaries
Not Included / Separate
Court filing fees and service costs
Third-party costs (experts, classes, evaluations)
Counseling or therapy services
Click Here to Book Your Free Consultation Takes ~60 seconds • No obligation • Fast call back
Real Experience. Real Results
I’ve lived in Northwest Arkansas for 16 years and grew up here. I know our courts, our judges, and our community. I bring passion, legal know-how, and steady experience to every case.
I’ve stood beside people from all walks of life. Every client matters to me. You get my full attention, clear answers, and respect—always.
My background spans family law, business law, and criminal defense. That wider view helps me see your whole picture—kids, money, work, and safety—so I can build the plan that fits your life.
What you can expect
- Local insight and practical steps
- Straight talk in plain English
- Quick updates and real follow-through
- Firm, respectful advocacy in and out of court
- Options to settle; trial-ready when needed
You deserve an attorney who treats your case with care and courage. I’m here to stand by your side and fight for what matters most.
Family Law in Arkansas: What It Covers and How It Works
Family law is the set of rules that guide major life events—marriage, separation, parenting, money, and safety. Below is a plain-English tour of how Arkansas handles the most common topics, with simple steps and useful terms explained.
What Family Law Includes
Family law cases often involve:
Divorce or legal separation
Child custody and parenting time
Child support and health-care costs
Division of property and debt
Alimony (spousal support)
Paternity (who the legal father is)
Adoption and guardianship
Orders of protection in domestic-abuse cases
Divorce Basics in Arkansas
Residency & timing. To file for divorce, at least one spouse must live in Arkansas for 60 days before filing. A judge generally can’t finalize the divorce until at least 30 days after you file. If the other spouse wasn’t personally served and doesn’t appear, the filing spouse must have lived in Arkansas for three full months before the decree. WomensLaw.orgJustia
Grounds (legal reasons). Arkansas allows both fault and no-fault divorces. The state’s no-fault option requires that spouses live separate and apart for 18 continuous months without cohabitation. Fault grounds include things like adultery or cruel treatment. FindLaw CodesWomensLaw.org
Common steps. File a complaint → serve the other party → ask for temporary orders if needed (housing, bills, parenting time) → exchange information → negotiate or mediate → court hearing → final decree. Courts prefer agreements when possible; if you can’t agree, the judge decides after a hearing.
Child Custody & Parenting Time
Arkansas uses the best interests of the child standard. Since 2021, there’s a rebuttable presumption that joint custody is best in original custody decisions in divorce and paternity cases. A court can deny joint custody if there’s clear and convincing evidence that it would harm the child (for example, proven domestic abuse). Parents who don’t get custody are still entitled to reasonable parenting time unless it would seriously endanger the child. Arkansas Legislative Website
Child Support
Arkansas calculates child support under Administrative Order No. 10, which uses the Income Shares model. This method looks at both parents’ gross incomes and the number of children to find a base amount, then adjusts for health insurance, child care, and extraordinary medical costs. The state publishes support charts and an Affidavit of Financial Means form you’ll complete. JustiaArkansas JudiciaryArkansas Judiciary
Property & Debt Division
Arkansas is an equitable-distribution state with a strong 50/50 starting point for marital property. A judge can shift from equal to unequal if a different split is more fair based on factors like the length of the marriage, each spouse’s health, income, and contributions (including non-income caregiving). Separate (non-marital) property—like certain gifts, inheritances, or property owned before marriage—may be excluded. Justia
Alimony (Spousal Support)
A judge may award alimony when one spouse needs support and the other can pay. Arkansas law allows rehabilitative alimony—payments for a set period to help the receiving spouse get education or training. Courts can ask for a rehabilitation plan to set amount and duration. Justia
Paternity
Legal fatherhood can be set by:
Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP): a form parents can sign (often at the hospital). Once effective, it has the force of a court finding unless later changed by court order.
Court order, often with DNA testing.
Arkansas’s Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) can help establish paternity and support. JustiaArkansas Finance Department
Adoption
Most Arkansas adoptions require a home study—an evaluation of the home, background checks, and interviews—before a judge can finalize the adoption. State and federal resources outline what caseworkers review and what the written home-study report must include. Child Welfare Information GatewayFindLaw Codes
Orders of Protection (Domestic Abuse)
Victims of domestic abuse can ask the court for an Order of Protection. Judges may issue a same-day temporary (ex parte) order when there’s immediate danger; a full hearing follows to decide long-term protection and related relief (like temporary custody). Justia
Plain-Language Tips
Keep records: income, expenses, texts about parenting time.
Focus on kids’ routines and safety when talking custody.
Be realistic about budgets; support and alimony depend on numbers.
Read every court order; deadlines matter.
When in doubt, ask your lawyer—small questions early prevent big problems later.
Family Law FAQs
Courts generally prioritize the “best interests of the child” standard, considering factors like each parent’s ability to provide care, the child’s relationship with each parent, stability of living situations, and the child’s own preferences (depending on age).
Property division varies significantly by state. Community property states generally split marital assets 50/50, while equitable distribution states divide assets “fairly” but not necessarily equally, considering factors like length of marriage, each spouse’s contributions, and future earning capacity.
Most states use specific formulas that consider both parents’ incomes, the number of children, custody arrangements, and other factors like health insurance and childcare costs. The non-custodial parent typically pays support to the custodial parent.
In Arkansas, you can file for divorce on either no-fault grounds (incompatibility or living separately for 18 months) or fault-based grounds (including adultery, cruel treatment, felony conviction, habitual drunkenness, or desertion), with at least one spouse needing to be an Arkansas resident for 60 days before filing. Uncontested divorces typically take 30-90 days to complete since Arkansas has no mandatory waiting period, while contested divorces involving disputes over property, custody, or support can take 6 months to 2+ years depending on the complexity of the issues and whether the case goes to trial.
Courts consider factors like the length of the marriage, each spouse’s earning capacity, standard of living during marriage, age and health of both parties, and contributions to the marriage (including homemaking and supporting the other’s career).
Start Your Family Law Plan
Get a simple, step-by-step plan for custody, support, and property. We listen first, set clear goals, and move at the right pace.
Confidential. Respectful. Right-sized to your situation.
Click Here to Book Your Free Consultation Takes ~60 seconds • No obligation • Fast call back
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