reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AR Code § 9-11-706 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 7 - Validating Acts|§ 9-11-706. Marriage before entry of divorce decree

 (a) It is the intent of this section to validate all marriages deemed void as a result of the decision of the Supreme Court in Standridge v. Standridge, 298 Ark. 494, 769 S.W.2d 12 (1989), whether occurring prior to or subsequent to November 14, 1989.  (b)  (1) All marriages heretofore or hereafter declared void because the parties had entered into an otherwise valid marriage after the rendition of a valid decree of divorce of either of the parties but before the entry for record of the decree are declared valid for all purposes.  (2) All children born to any marriage declared valid by this section are deemed to be the legitimate children of both parents for all purposes.  (3) All property rights, including, but not limited to, conveyances, inheritance, intestate succession, dower, curtesy, and all rights and duties between the parties themselves or third persons, are declared to be those of validly married persons.    (c) This section shall apply to all marriages occurring both prior and subsequent to November 14, 1989.
AR Code § 9-11-801 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-801. Title

 This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Covenant Marriage Act of 2001”.
AR Code § 9-11-802 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-802. Definitions

 As used in this subchapter:   (1) “Authorized counseling” means marital counseling provided by:  (A) A priest;  (B) A minister;  (C) A rabbi;  (D) A clerk of the Religious Society of Friends;  (E) Any clergy member of any religious sect or a designated representative;  (F) A marriage educator approved by the person who will perform the marriage ceremony; or  (G) As defined by § 17-27-102:  (i) A licensed professional counselor;  (ii) A licensed associate counselor;  (iii) A licensed marriage and family therapist;  (iv) A licensed clinical psychologist; or  (v) A licensed associate marriage and family therapist; and      (2) “Judicial separation” means a judicial proceeding pursuant to § 9-11-809 that results in a court determination that the parties to a covenant marriage live separate and apart.
AR Code § 9-11-803 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-803. Covenant marriage

 (a)  (1) A covenant marriage is a marriage entered into by one (1) male and one (1) female who understand and agree that the marriage between them is a lifelong relationship.  (2) Parties to a covenant marriage will have received authorized counseling emphasizing the nature, purposes, and responsibilities of marriage.  (3) Only when there has been a complete and total breach of the marital covenant commitment may a party seek a declaration that the marriage is no longer legally recognized.    (b)  (1) A man and a woman may contract a covenant marriage by declaring their intent to do so on their application for a marriage license as otherwise required under this chapter and executing a declaration of intent to contract a covenant marriage as provided in § 9-11-804.  (2) The application for a marriage license and the declaration of intent shall be filed with the official who issues the marriage license.
AR Code § 9-11-804 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-804. Content of declaration of intent

 (a) A declaration of intent to contract a covenant marriage shall contain all of the following:  (1) A recitation signed by both parties to the following effect:  (2) An affidavit by the parties that they have received authorized counseling that shall include a discussion of the seriousness of covenant marriage, communication of the fact that a covenant marriage is a commitment for life, a discussion of the obligation to seek marital counseling in times of marital difficulties, and a discussion of the exclusive grounds for legally terminating a covenant marriage by divorce;  (3) An attestation, signed by the counselor and attached to or included in the parties' affidavit, confirming that the parties received authorized counseling as to the nature and purpose of the marriage and the grounds for termination of the marriage and an acknowledgment that the counselor provided to the parties the informational pamphlet developed and promulgated by the Administrative Office of the Courts under this subchapter that provides a full explanation of the terms and conditions of a covenant marriage; and  (4)  (A) The signature of both parties witnessed by a notary.  (B) If one (1) of the parties is a minor, or both are minors, the written consent or authorization of those persons required under this chapter to consent to or authorize the marriage of minors.      (b) The declaration shall consist of two (2) separate documents:  (1) The recitation as set out in subdivision (a)(1) of this section; and  (2) The affidavit with the attestation either included within or attached to the document.    (c) The recitation, affidavit, and attestation shall be filed as provided in § 9-11-803(b).    “A COVENANT MARRIAGE   We do solemnly declare that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman who agree to live together as husband and wife for so long as they both may live. We have chosen each other carefully and disclosed to one another everything which could adversely affect the decision to enter into this marriage. We have received authorized counseling on the nature, purposes, and responsibilities of marriage. We have read the Covenant Marriage Act of 2001, and we understand that a covenant marriage is for life. If we experience marital difficulties, we commit ourselves to take all reasonable efforts to preserve our marriage, including marital counseling.   With full knowledge of what this commitment means, we do hereby declare that our marriage will be bound by Arkansas law on covenant marriages, and we promise to love, honor, and care for one another as husband and wife for the rest of our lives.”;
AR Code § 9-11-805 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-805. Form of affidavit

 The following is the suggested form of the affidavit that may be used by the parties, notary, and counselor:   “STATE OF ARKANSAS COUNTY OF BE IT KNOWN THAT on this day of , , before me the undersigned notary, personally came and appeared: and who after being duly sworn by me, a notary, deposed and stated that: Affiants acknowledge that they have received premarital counseling from a priest, minister, rabbi, clerk of the Religious Society of Friends, any clergyman of any religious sect, or a professional marriage counselor, which marriage counseling included: A discussion of the seriousness of covenant marriage; Communication of the fact that a covenant marriage is a commitment for life; The obligation of a covenant marriage to take reasonable efforts to preserve the marriage if marital difficulties arise; and That affiants both read the pamphlet entitled “Covenant Marriage Act” developed and promulgated by the Administrative Office of the Courts, which provides a full explanation of a covenant marriage, including the obligation to seek marital counseling in times of marital difficulties and the exclusive grounds for legally terminating a covenant marriage by divorce or divorce after a judgment of separation from bed or board. (Name of prospective spouse) (Name of prospective spouse) SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME THIS DAY OF , NOTARY PUBLIC ATTESTATION The undersigned attests that the affiants did receive counseling from me as to the nature and purpose of marriage, which included a discussion of the seriousness of covenant marriage, communication of the fact that a covenant marriage is for life, and the obligation of a covenant marriage to take reasonable efforts to preserve the marriage if marital difficulties arise. Counselor”.   Click to view form.
AR Code § 9-11-806 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-806. Other applicable rules

 A covenant marriage shall be governed by all of the provisions of this title, except as otherwise specifically provided in this subchapter.
AR Code § 9-11-807 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-807. Applicability to already married couples

 (a) A married couple, upon submission of a copy of their marriage certificate, which need not be certified, may execute a declaration of intent to designate their marriage as a covenant marriage to be governed by this subchapter.  (b) This declaration of intent in the form and containing the contents required by subsection (c) of this section must be filed with the officer who issues marriage licenses in the county in which the couple is domiciled.  (c)  (1) A declaration of intent to redesignate a marriage as a covenant marriage shall contain all of the following:  (A) A recitation by the parties as set out in § 9-11-804;  (B) An affidavit by the parties as set out in § 9-11-805 that they have discussed their intent to designate their marriage as a covenant marriage with an authorized counselor that included a discussion of the obligation to seek marital counseling in times of marital difficulties and the exclusive grounds for legally terminating a covenant marriage by divorce;  (C) An attestation signed by the counselor and attached to the parties' affidavit acknowledging that the counselor provided to the parties the informational pamphlet developed and promulgated by the Administrative Office of the Courts under this subchapter that provides a full explanation of the terms and conditions of a covenant marriage; and  (D) The signature of both parties witnessed by a notary.    (2)  (A) The declaration shall contain two (2) separate documents:  (i) The recitation; and  (ii) The affidavit with the attestation either included within or attached to the document.    (B) The recitation, affidavit, and attestation shall be filed as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
AR Code § 9-11-808 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-808. Divorce or separation

 (a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary and subsequent to the parties' obtaining authorized counseling, a spouse to a covenant marriage may obtain a judgment of divorce only upon proof of any of the following:  (1) The other spouse has committed adultery;  (2) The other spouse has committed a felony or other infamous crime;  (3) The other spouse has physically or sexually abused the spouse seeking the divorce or a child of one (1) of the spouses;  (4) The spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without reconciliation for a period of two (2) years; or  (5)  (A) The spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without reconciliation for a period of two (2) years from the date the judgment of judicial separation was signed.  (B)  (i) If there is a minor child or children of the marriage, the spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without reconciliation for a period of two (2) years and six (6) months from the date the judgment of judicial separation was signed.  (ii) However, if abuse of a child of the marriage or a child of one (1) of the spouses is the basis for which the judgment of judicial separation was obtained, then a judgment of divorce may be obtained if the spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without reconciliation for a period of one (1) year from the date the judgment of judicial separation was signed.        (b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary and subsequent to the parties' obtaining authorized counseling, a spouse to a covenant marriage may obtain a judgment of judicial separation only upon proof of any of the following:  (1) The other spouse has committed adultery;  (2) The other spouse has committed a felony and has been sentenced to death or imprisonment;  (3) The other spouse has physically or sexually abused the spouse seeking the legal separation or divorce or a child of one (1) of the spouses;  (4) The spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without reconciliation for a period of two (2) years; or  (5) The other spouse shall:  (A) Be addicted to habitual drunkenness for one (1) year;  (B) Be guilty of such cruel and barbarous treatment as to endanger the life of the other; or  (C) Offer such indignities to the person of the other as shall render his or her condition intolerable.
AR Code § 9-11-809 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-809. Suit against spouse — Separation

 (a) Unless judicially separated, spouses in a covenant marriage may not sue each other except for causes of action:  (1) Pertaining to contracts;  (2) For restitution of separate property;  (3) For judicial separation in covenant marriages;  (4) For divorce or for declaration of nullity of the marriage; and  (5) For causes of action pertaining to spousal support or the support or custody of a child while the spouses are living separate and apart, although not judicially separated.    (b)  (1) Any court that is competent to preside over divorce proceedings has jurisdiction of an action for judicial separation or divorce in a covenant marriage if:  (A) One (1) or both of the spouses are domiciled in this state and the ground for judicial separation or divorce in a covenant marriage was committed or occurred in this state or while the matrimonial domicile was in this state; or  (B) The ground therefor occurred elsewhere while either or both of the spouses were domiciled elsewhere, provided the person obtaining the judicial separation was domiciled in this state prior to the time the cause of action accrued and is domiciled in this state at the time the action is filed.    (2) An action for a judicial separation in a covenant marriage shall be brought in a county where either party is domiciled, or in the county of the last matrimonial domicile.  (3) The venue provided in this section may not be waived, and a judgment of separation rendered by a court of improper venue is an absolute nullity.    (c) Judgments on the pleadings and summary judgments shall not be granted in any action for judicial separation in a covenant marriage.  (d) In a proceeding for a judicial separation in a covenant marriage or thereafter, a court may award a spouse all incidental relief afforded in a proceeding for divorce, including, but not limited to, spousal support, claims for contributions to education, child custody, visitation rights, child support, injunctive relief, and possession and use of a family residence or joint property.
AR Code § 9-11-810 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-810. Effects of separation

 (a) Judicial separation in a covenant marriage does not dissolve the bond of matrimony since the separated husband and wife are not at liberty to marry again, but it puts an end to their conjugal cohabitation and to the common concerns that existed between them.  (b) Spouses who are judicially separated in a covenant marriage shall retain that status until either reconciliation or divorce.
AR Code § 9-11-811 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 11 - Marriage|Subchapter 8 - Covenant Marriage Act|§ 9-11-811. Informational pamphlet

 (a) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall promulgate an informational pamphlet, entitled “Covenant Marriage Act of 2001”, which shall outline in sufficient detail the consequences of entering into a covenant marriage.  (b) The informational pamphlet shall be made available to any counselor who provides authorized counseling as provided for by this subchapter.
AR Code § 9-12-101 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 9-12-101. Subsequent marriage before dissolution of prior marriage prohibited

 No subsequent or second marriage shall be contracted by any person during the lifetime of any former husband or wife of the person unless the marriage with the former husband or wife has been dissolved for some one (1) of the causes set forth in the law concerning divorces by a court of competent authority.
AR Code § 9-12-201 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 2 - Annulment|§ 9-12-201. Grounds

 When either of the parties to a marriage is incapable from want of age or understanding of consenting to any marriage, or is incapable of entering into the marriage state due to physical causes, or when the consent of either party shall have been obtained by force or fraud, the marriage shall be void from the time its nullity shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction.
AR Code § 9-12-202 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 2 - Annulment|§ 9-12-202. Proceedings for annulment to be in equity — Venue

 (a) The action shall be by equitable proceedings in the county where the complainant or complainants reside.  (b) The process may be directed in the first instance to any county in the state where the defendant may then reside or be found.
AR Code § 9-12-302 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 3 - Actions for Divorce or Alimony|§ 9-12-302. Equitable proceedings

 The action for alimony or divorce shall be by equitable proceedings.
AR Code § 9-12-303 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 3 - Actions for Divorce or Alimony|§ 9-12-303. Venue — Service of process

 (a) The proceedings shall be in the county where the complainant resides unless the complainant is a nonresident of the State of Arkansas and the defendant is a resident of the state, in which case the proceedings shall be in the county where the defendant resides and, in any event, the process may be directed to any county in the state.  (b) In actions initiated by the Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Revenue Division of the Department of Finance and Administration or the Department of Human Services, proceedings may also be commenced in the county where the defendant resides.  (c) When a spouse initiates an action against the other spouse for an absolute divorce, divorce from bed and board, or separate maintenance, then the venue for the initial action shall also be the venue for any of the three (3) named actions filed by the other spouse, regardless of the residency of the other spouse.
AR Code § 9-12-304 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 3 - Actions for Divorce or Alimony|§ 9-12-304. Pleadings — Interrogatories

 (a) The pleadings are not required to be verified by affidavit.  (b) However, either party may file interrogatories to the other in regard to any matter of property involved in the action that shall be answered on oath as interrogatories in other actions and have the same effect.
AR Code § 9-12-305 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 3 - Actions for Divorce or Alimony|§ 9-12-305. No judgment pro confesso

 The statements of the complaint for a divorce shall not be taken as true because of the defendant's failure to answer or admission of their truth on the part of the defendant.
AR Code § 9-12-306 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 3 - Actions for Divorce or Alimony|§ 9-12-306. Corroboration

 (a) In uncontested divorce suits, corroboration of the plaintiff's grounds for divorce shall not be necessary or required.  (b) In contested suits, corroboration of the injured party's grounds may be expressly waived in writing by the other spouse.  (c)  (1) This section does not apply to proof as to residence, which must be corroborated, and does not apply to proof of separation and continuity of separation without cohabitation, which must be corroborated.  (2) In uncontested cases, proof as to residence and proof of separation and continuity of separation without cohabitation may be corroborated by either oral testimony or verified affidavit of persons other than the parties.
AR Code § 9-12-307 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 3 - Actions for Divorce or Alimony|§ 9-12-307. Matters that must be proved — Definition

 (a) To obtain a divorce, the plaintiff must prove, but need not allege, in addition to a legal cause of divorce:  (1)  (A) A residence in the state by either the plaintiff or defendant for sixty (60) days next before the commencement of the action and a residence in the state for three (3) full months before the final judgment granting the decree of divorce.  (B) No decree of divorce, however, shall be granted until at least thirty (30) days have elapsed from the date of the filing of the complaint.  (C) When personal service cannot be had upon the defendant or when the defendant fails to enter his or her appearance in the action, no decree of divorce shall be granted the plaintiff until the plaintiff has maintained an actual residence in the State of Arkansas for a period of not less than three (3) full months;    (2) That the cause of action and cause of divorce occurred or existed in this state or, if out of the state, that it was a legal cause of divorce in this state, the laws of this state to govern exclusively and independently of the laws of any other state as to the cause of divorce; and  (3) That the cause of divorce occurred or existed within five (5) years next before the commencement of the suit.    (b) “Residence” as used in subsection (a) of this section is defined to mean actual presence, and upon proof of that the party alleging and offering the proof shall be considered domiciled in the state, and this is declared to be the legislative intent and public policy of the State of Arkansas.
AR Code § 9-12-308 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 9 - Family Law|Subtitle 2 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 12 - Divorce and Annulment|Subchapter 3 - Actions for Divorce or Alimony|§ 9-12-308. Effect of collusion, consent, or equal guilt of parties

 If it appears to the court that the adultery or other offense complained of has been occasioned by the collusion of the parties or done with an intent to procure a divorce, that the complainant was consenting thereto, or that both parties have been guilty of the adultery or other offense or injury complained of in the complaint, then no divorce shall be granted or decreed.