Arkansas Court System

State Courts

Appellate Level

• Arkansas Supreme Court - Highest court in the state; final appellate authority

  • 7 justices
  • Hears civil and criminal cases on appeal

• Arkansas Court of Appeals - Intermediate appellate court

  • Reviews lower court decisions in non-capital cases

Trial Level

• Circuit Courts - Primary trial courts

  • General jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters
  • Family law (dissolution of marriage, custody, support)
  • Felony criminal trials

• District Courts - Lower trial courts

  • Limited jurisdiction
  • Small claims and misdemeanors

Federal Courts

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit - Reviews federal cases from Arkansas
• U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Arkansas
• U.S. District Court for Western District of Arkansas

Court Procedures

Custody matters in Arkansas are typically handled in Circuit Courts at the trial level, with appeals to the Court of Appeals and potentially the Supreme Court.

Related

• Arkansas - Arkansas jurisdiction overview
• Ark. Code § 9-13-101 - Equal parental responsibility statute