Hiring a Wills, Trusts or Probate Lawyer in Arkansas
What Arkansas requires for a valid will, when probate applies, how estate lawyers charge, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Arkansas: fee rules
| If a lawyer takes your money | Arkansas has a Client Security Fund overseen by the Arkansas Supreme Court's Client Security Fund Committee, whose members are appointed by the Court; the Administrative Office of the Courts (625 Marshall Street, Little Rock; 501-682-9400) is the listed contact. |
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Arkansas rules to know first
| Requirements for a valid will | Any person of sound mind who is 18 or older may make a will. A witnessed will must be signed at the end by the will-maker (or by mark, or by another person at the will-maker's direction, who also signs their own name) and signed by at least two attesting witnesses. The will-maker must tell the witnesses the document is their will and sign or acknowledge the signature in their presence, and the witnesses sign at the will-maker's request and in the will-maker's presence. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). |
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| Small estate affidavit | If the value of everything the decedent owned at death, less debts secured against it and excluding the homestead and the statutory allowances for a surviving spouse or minor children, is $100,000 or less, one or more distributees can file an Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate with the probate clerk of the circuit court once 45 days have passed since the death and no petition to appoint a personal representative is pending or granted. The affidavit must state there are no unpaid claims (or that any Department of Human Services benefits were repaid), list and value the property, and list the distributees. Holders of property release it on a clerk-certified copy, without a court order. Real estate can be included; if it is, the distributee must publish notice of the death and the filing within 30 days, and creditors then have three months from first publication to present claims. Clerk fee: $25 to file and $5 per certified copy. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). |
| How probate works | File a petition for probate of the will and appointment of a personal representative (or for appointment of an administrator) in the probate division of circuit court. After letters are issued, publish notice of the appointment and notice to creditors, and within one month after first publication mail a copy to each known heir and devisee and each known unpaid creditor, including the Department of Human Services if it provided services. File an inventory with appraised values within two months after qualifying (unless waived). Pay allowed claims, file accountings, and distribute the estate under court order. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Arkansas Bar Association runs ArkansasFindALawyer, an online directory you can search by name, firm, city, postal code (within a set distance) or area of practice. The bar's page does not describe it as a referral service and states no consultation fee. The bar's general line is 501-375-4606. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Arkansas Judiciary's online Attorney Search lets you look up lawyers by last name, first name, city, ZIP code or bar number; attorney rosters are also posted. The site says its information is not the official record kept by the Clerk of the Courts and directs users to the Clerk's Office at (501) 682-6849 to verify. Rosters: https://attorneyinfo.aoc.arkansas.gov/roster |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Arkansas lawyers are handled by the Office of Professional Conduct of the Arkansas Supreme Court (Administrative Office of the Courts), One Capitol Mall, Suite 3D-101, Little Rock, AR 72201-1049; phone 501-376-0313 or toll-free 800-506-6631. File using the office's grievance form (printable for mailing or fillable for emailing). Disciplinary decisions are posted online, and paper copies are available from the Clerk of the Courts at $0.50 per page. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Aid of Arkansas is the LSC-funded legal aid organization for Arkansas and provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income people. The Arkansas Bar Association also points people to Arkansas Access to Justice (arkansasjustice.org), Arkansas Free Legal Answers (ar.freelegalanswers.org) and Arkansas Law Help (arlawhelp.org) for free legal information and help. Bar legal assistance page: https://www.arkbar.com/?pg=LegalAssistance |
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All legal help in Arkansas · Do I need a lawyer?
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.