Lawyer time, filing fees, and experts add up. When both spouses agree on most issues, bills might stay a few thousand dollars. If they argue over money, kids, or property, totals often climb into the tens of thousands.

You file a “petition” or “complaint for divorce” with the right county court, pay a filing fee, and have the papers served on your spouse. That step officially opens the case.

Most states follow either “equitable distribution” (fair but not always 50/50) or “community property” (roughly half to each). Courts look at assets, debts, and each spouse’s situation when splitting things.

Judges decide based on the child’s best interests. They weigh school ties, daily routines, each parent’s caregiving history, and safety. Joint custody is common, but every case is unique.

States use formulas that look at each parent’s income, parenting time, health-care costs, and day-care bills. The parent with less time or more income usually pays.

Courts weigh how long the marriage lasted, each spouse’s earnings and needs, and whether one stayed home to raise kids. Awards can be temporary or long-term.

Couples who agree on every issue can file an uncontested divorce without lawyers. If there are big disagreements—or worries about safety, hidden money, or complex assets—hiring counsel makes sense.

Yes. If both sides settle everything through mediation or direct talks, they can file an uncontested divorce. This path is faster and cheaper, though a judge still signs the final order.

One person cannot block a divorce forever. After proper notice, the filing spouse can ask for a “default” judgment, and the court can finalize the divorce even without the other’s signature.

No, in Arkansas you don't have to be separated for 18 months. That is just one of the reasons you can use for a divorce.