If you live in North Little Rock and need a divorce, your case goes across the Arkansas River to the Pulaski County Circuit Court in downtown Little Rock. North Little Rock has a district court at the Justice Center on Justice Center Drive, but district courts in Arkansas handle traffic, misdemeanors, and small claims, not divorces. Every domestic-relations case for residents of Levy, Park Hill, Rose City, Lakewood, and the rest of North Little Rock is filed with the Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk at 401 West Markham Street.
Key Facts: Divorce in North Little Rock (Pulaski County)
| Detail | North Little Rock / Pulaski County |
|---|---|
| County | Pulaski County (Sixth Judicial Circuit) |
| Filing court | Pulaski County Circuit Court, Domestic Relations Division |
| Court address | 401 West Markham Street, Suite 100, Little Rock, AR 72201 |
| Filing fee | $165 paper / $185 electronic (March 2026) |
| Residency requirement | 60 days before filing; 3 months before decree |
| Waiting period | 30 days from filing (cannot be waived) |
| Property model | Equitable distribution (presumed 50/50) |
How do I file for divorce in North Little Rock, Arkansas?
To file for divorce in North Little Rock, you submit a Complaint for Divorce to the Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk at 401 West Markham Street in Little Rock and pay the $165 filing fee (March 2026). You must serve your spouse, state statutory grounds, and meet the 60-day residency rule under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-307.
The process for a North Little Rock resident runs in this order:
- Confirm you have lived in Arkansas at least 60 days. You will need a Resident Witness Affidavit because Arkansas defines residency as actual physical presence, not intent.
- Prepare the Complaint for Divorce stating your grounds. The only no-fault ground requires 18 continuous months of separation; fault grounds (general indignities, adultery, cruelty) avoid that wait.
- File the complaint and pay $165 at the clerk's office in Suite 100, or e-file for $185.
- Serve your spouse through the sheriff, certified mail, or a waiver of service.
- Wait the mandatory 30 days, then attend a final hearing for the decree.
Download current Arkansas court forms and review the full process on our Arkansas divorce resources page.
Where do I file for divorce in North Little Rock? (which courthouse)
North Little Rock residents file for divorce at the Pulaski County Courthouse, 401 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, with the Circuit and County Clerk in Suite 100. The North Little Rock District Court at #1 Justice Center Drive cannot grant divorces because Arkansas district courts lack domestic-relations jurisdiction. The main clerk line is (501) 340-8500.
The drive from central North Little Rock to the courthouse is roughly five to ten minutes across the Main Street or Broadway bridge. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-307, you file in the county where the filing spouse (the plaintiff) lives. Because North Little Rock sits inside Pulaski County, Pulaski County Circuit Court is the correct venue. If you are the one filing and you reside in North Little Rock, this courthouse is where your case belongs, regardless of where your spouse currently lives.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in North Little Rock?
A divorce lawyer in North Little Rock typically charges $200 to $375 per hour, with uncontested flat fees often running $1,200 to $2,500 and contested cases reaching $7,500 to $20,000 or more. On top of attorney fees, every filer pays the $165 court filing fee (March 2026), plus service-of-process costs of roughly $50 to $75.
The single biggest cost driver is whether your case is contested. An uncontested divorce, where both spouses agree on property, support, and parenting, can sometimes be finished for a flat fee because the lawyer drafts paperwork rather than litigating. A contested case involving custody disputes, business valuations, or hidden assets multiplies hours quickly.
Fee waivers exist for those who cannot pay. Arkansas's in forma pauperis process eliminates the filing fee if you receive SSI, SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid, or if your income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty level ($18,825 for a single person in 2026). Estimate your total exposure with our divorce cost estimator.
How long does a divorce take in North Little Rock?
An uncontested divorce in North Little Rock generally takes 45 to 90 days from filing to final decree, governed by the mandatory 30-day waiting period under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-307(a)(1)(B). The court cannot enter a decree until at least 30 days have passed from the date you file, and that waiting period cannot be waived even in emergencies.
Two Arkansas rules can stretch the timeline. First, one spouse must maintain actual Arkansas residence for three full months before the court enters a decree, so filing on day 60 of residency means waiting until day 90. Second, the only no-fault ground requires 18 continuous months of separation, one of the longest in the nation. Most North Little Rock filers use a fault ground such as general indignities to avoid that delay. Contested cases involving custody or property disputes commonly run six months to over a year. See our Arkansas divorce timeline guide for stage-by-stage detail.
What are the residency requirements to file in Pulaski County?
To file for divorce in Pulaski County, either spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days immediately before filing, and one spouse must maintain actual Arkansas residence for three full months before the court enters a final decree, under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-307. Arkansas requires proof of physical presence, not mere intent to reside.
This two-stage rule trips up many filers. The 60-day mark lets you file; the 90-day mark lets you finish. Because Arkansas treats residence as actual physical presence, you must support your claim with a Resident Witness Affidavit signed by someone who can confirm you have lived in the state. A North Little Rock filer who recently moved from another state should track move-in dates carefully and keep documentation such as a lease, utility bills, or a driver's license showing a Pulaski County address.
How is property divided in an Arkansas divorce?
Arkansas divides marital property under an equitable distribution model in Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-315, which presumes a 50/50 split of all property acquired during the marriage. A judge may order an unequal division only after weighing factors like marriage length, income, and each spouse's contributions, and must state in writing the reasons for departing from an equal split.
Property acquired before marriage, by gift, or by inheritance is generally returned to the original owner as separate property. The risk is commingling: an inheritance deposited into a joint account can lose its separate character and become divisible. For North Little Rock couples, common dividing points include home equity, retirement accounts, and vehicles. Estimate likely outcomes with our property division guidance and review the Arkansas property division rules before negotiating a settlement.
How does child custody work in North Little Rock?
Arkansas law favors joint custody. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-13-101, courts in original custody cases apply a rebuttable presumption that joint custody, defined as an approximately equal division of time, serves the child's best interest. The presumption can be overcome only by clear and convincing evidence that joint custody harms the child, or where the parties agree otherwise.
Judges decide custody solely on the child's welfare and best interest, without regard to a parent's sex, and may consider a mature child's preference. A parent not awarded custody is entitled to reasonable parenting time unless the court finds it would seriously endanger the child. Arkansas also lets a court treat a parent's willful pattern of disrupting a joint-custody arrangement as a material change of circumstances. Estimate obligations with our child support calculator and review the Arkansas custody statute.