Reviewed August 2026
Court Hearings in Arkansas
Arkansas handles divorce and custody in the domestic relations division of circuit court. Circuit court is the state's general jurisdiction trial court. While a divorce case is open, either spouse can ask the court to set temporary support, custody, or use of property. To do this, a party files a motion for temporary relief with the circuit clerk in the county where the case is pending. Arkansas does not run a separate statewide family court system like some states do. Circuit judges hear domestic relations cases alongside their other civil dockets. In larger, more populous counties, a judge may be assigned mainly to a domestic relations division. In smaller counties, the same circuit judge handles family cases along with everything else on the docket. Arkansas courts operate at the circuit level. So how a request for temporary orders gets scheduled, and how fast, depends on local practice in that circuit and county. Arkansas has 28 judicial circuits. Each one sets its own calendar and local rules for civil motions.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how court hearings works under Arkansas law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Arkansas paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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Asking for temporary support and custody
In an Arkansas divorce, a party who needs relief before the case ends files a motion. It asks the circuit court to set temporary child support, spousal support, custody, or possession of the marital home while the case is pending. This interim order holds things together for the household. It does not decide the case. It stays in effect only until the court changes it or the case ends with a final divorce decree. The motion should state clearly what is being requested. It should also briefly explain why the request cannot wait until the final hearing.
Circuit court and the domestic relations division
Every Arkansas divorce is filed in circuit court. Circuit court has general jurisdiction over civil matters, including domestic relations. Larger counties often set up a domestic relations division within the circuit court, with one or more judges mainly handling family law cases. In smaller, less populous counties, the circuit judge hears domestic relations matters as part of a broader docket, including other civil cases and sometimes criminal ones. Which judge is assigned, and how motions move through the calendar, depends on the circuit and county where the case is filed. Some circuits cover several rural counties together. In those circuits, the judge may travel between courthouses on a set schedule.
How a motion for temporary orders gets scheduled
After a motion for temporary relief is filed and served, the other party has a chance to respond before the court rules. Whether the circuit court sets a hearing, and how fast, is a matter of local practice. Each of Arkansas's circuit courts manages its own docket. Some circuits move contested temporary requests to a hearing fairly quickly, since support and custody are time-sensitive. Others require more advance notice, depending on caseload. Anyone filing a motion for temporary orders should confirm the scheduling process with the circuit clerk in the filing county. Notice periods and local forms can differ.
Remote hearing availability
Arkansas courts, like courts nationwide, expanded remote and telephonic hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arkansas Judiciary still publishes administrative orders governing court proceedings on its website. Whether a specific domestic relations hearing is available by phone or video is set by the individual circuit and judge. No single statewide rule guarantees this for family cases. Parties who need a remote appearance should raise it with the circuit clerk or the assigned judge's office in advance. Some circuits kept using the video technology installed during the pandemic. Others have returned mostly to in-person proceedings.
What happens at a temporary orders hearing
A hearing on temporary relief is narrower than a trial. The judge decides what should happen on an interim basis while the divorce case continues. It is not the final ruling on custody, support, or property. Depending on the circuit and whether the request is contested, the hearing may involve limited testimony and exhibits. Some judges rule mostly on the motion, response, and any supporting affidavits. Common subjects are which parent has the children day to day, what support gets paid meanwhile, and who stays in the marital home. The resulting order is temporary. It is replaced once the court enters the final divorce decree. Either party can later ask the court to change a temporary order if circumstances shift before the case ends.
Sources: Arkansas Judiciary, official homepage and directory of self-help and family law resources, Arkansas Judiciary, Court Forms and Publications, Arkansas Judiciary, Administrative Orders index
Not independently confirmed
- The exact Arkansas Code citation governing temporary support and custody during a pending divorce (commonly cited as Ark. Code Ann. section 9-12-309) was not confirmed against a directly fetched copy of the statute for this page.
- Arkansas does not appear to publish a single statewide self-help packet or standardized form specifically for a motion for temporary orders; practice and available forms vary by circuit and county, and this was not independently confirmed for every circuit.
- Whether a specific administrative order currently governs remote/telephonic participation in Arkansas domestic relations hearings statewide was not confirmed; the Administrative Orders index exists but individual order content was not reviewed for this page.
Court Hearings in Arkansas: frequently asked questions
How do I get temporary support or custody during an Arkansas divorce?+
You file a motion asking the circuit court to set temporary support, custody, or possession of the home while the case is pending. The other party is served and has a chance to respond. The court then either rules on the written filings or sets a hearing. This depends on local practice in that circuit.
Which court handles divorce and custody hearings in Arkansas?+
Circuit court handles it. This is Arkansas's trial court of general jurisdiction. Larger counties often have a domestic relations division with judges mainly handling family cases. In smaller counties, the circuit judge hears domestic relations matters along with the rest of the docket. Arkansas has 28 judicial circuits, and each sets its own local practice.
Can I attend an Arkansas family court hearing remotely?+
It depends on the circuit and the assigned judge. Arkansas courts expanded remote and telephonic hearings during the pandemic and still use them in some proceedings. No single statewide rule guarantees a remote option for every family law hearing. Confirm with the circuit clerk or the judge's office.
How long do temporary orders last in an Arkansas divorce?+
They apply only while the divorce case is open, unless the court changes them sooner. Once the court enters the final divorce decree, the temporary order is replaced by whatever the decree provides for custody, support, and property.
Is a hearing required to get temporary orders in Arkansas?+
Not necessarily. Some circuit judges decide temporary relief motions from the written filings and any affidavits, without a live hearing. This is common when the request is not contested. Others set a hearing with limited testimony. It depends on the circuit and whether the other party objects.
What can a temporary order cover in an Arkansas divorce?+
It can address which parent has the children while the case is pending, temporary child or spousal support, and who gets use of the marital home meanwhile. It is a short-term arrangement, not a final ruling. It stays in place only until the court changes it or the case ends.
This page is general information about court hearings in Arkansas, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Arkansas's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Arkansas. Virdix does not prepare or file Arkansas divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Arkansas.
More Arkansas divorce guides
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