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Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-315

Probable cause hearing

Applied in 13 court decisions — leading case 85 Ark. App. 255 - Carroll v. Arkansas Department of Human Services (2004)

Most recently applied in 2021 Ark. App. 271 - Mary Cloird v. Josephine Young, Arkansas Department of Human Services, and Minor Child (May 2021)

Acts 1989, No. 273, § 14; 1993, No. 1227, § 3; 1995, No. 533, § 5; 1995, No. 1337, § 2; 1997, No. 1227, § 3; 1999, No. 1340, § 33; 2003, No. 1319, § 11; 2005, No. 1990, § 7; 201…

How often courts cite this section

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citing decisions per year

Court decisions citing this, by year. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.

(1) Following the issuance of an emergency order, the circuit court shall hold a probable cause hearing within five (5) business days of the issuance of the ex parte order to determine if probable cause to issue the emergency order continues to exist.

(2) The hearing shall be limited to the purpose of determining whether probable cause existed to protect the juvenile and to determine whether probable cause still exists to protect the juvenile.

(3) However, the issues as to custody and delivery of services may be considered by the court and appropriate orders for custody and delivery of services entered by the court.

(4) If the defendant stipulates that probable cause exists, the only evidence that is presented at the probable cause hearing shall be: Evidence pertaining to visitation; and

(5) Evidence pertaining to services delivered to the family.

(6) A parent shall not be compelled to testify under any circumstances.

(7) For the sole purpose of the probable cause hearing, the stipulation of a parent that probable cause exists shall also serve as a stipulation to the introduction of the affidavit of the plaintiff.

(8) All other issues, with the exception of custody and services, shall be reserved for hearing by the court at the adjudication hearing, which shall be a separate hearing conducted subsequent to the probable cause hearing.

(9) By agreement of the parties and with the court's approval, the adjudication hearing may be conducted at any time after the probable cause hearing, subject to § 9-27-327(a)(2).

(10) The petitioner shall have the burden of proof by a preponderance of evidence that probable cause exists for continuation of the emergency order.

(11) If the court determines that the juvenile can safely be returned to his or her home pending adjudication and it is in the best interest of the juvenile, the court shall so order.

(12) At the probable cause hearing, the court shall set the time and date of the adjudication hearing.

(13) A written order shall be filed by the court or by a party or party's attorney, as designated by the court, within thirty (30) days of the date of the hearing or prior to the next hearing, whichever is sooner.

(14) All probable cause hearings are miscellaneous proceedings as defined in Rule 1101(b)(3) of the Arkansas Rules of Evidence, and the rules of evidence, including, but not limited to, the hearsay rule, Rule 802 of the Arkansas Rules of Evidence, are not applicable.

Current official text: Arkansas General Assembly. Digitized from the UniCourt Code Improvement Commission public-domain capture. Reproduced from public-domain Arkansas statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.