Ark. Code Ann. § 9-26-104 (2020)

1. The circuit courts of this state or the respective judges thereof in vacation shall have the power to authorize any person who is a resident of the county and who has reached his or her sixteenth birthday to transact business in general and any particular business specified in like manner and with the same effect as if such act or thing were done by a person who had attained majority. Every act done by a person so authorized shall have the same force and effect in law and equity as if done by a person of full age.
2. Letters testamentary, of administration, or of guardianship may be granted to any such person, if otherwise entitled by law to have or hold such fiduciary trust, with like effect as if granted to a person over the age of majority.
3. The order of removal of disabilities may be made by the courts, or the respective judges thereof, in term time or in vacation.
4. 1. The circuit courts of any county in which a nonresident minor of the State of Arkansas owns real estate, or any interest in real estate, shall have jurisdiction to remove the disabilities of minority of the minor when the person has reached sixteen (16) years of age, as to the real estate. This may be done to enable the minor to sell and convey the real estate, or any interest therein, which may be owned by the minor or to mortgage or otherwise dispose of the real estate, as fully and effectually as if the minor was of full age.
   2. The order of removal of disabilities may be made by the courts, or the respective judges thereof in term time or in vacation, and, if made in vacation, shall be entered at large upon the records of the court.
5. After the filing of a petition to remove the disability of a minor, the court shall fix a time and place for hearing the petition. At least twenty (20) days before the date of the hearing, notice of the filing of the petition and of the time and place of the hearing shall be given by the petitioner to any parent or legal guardian of the minor who has not joined in the petition. The notice shall be given in the same manner as is provided for summons under the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure.

History. Acts 1937, No. 235, § 1; Pope's Dig., § 7453; Acts 1941, No. 336, § 1; 1969, No. 28, § 1; 1969, No. 29, § 1; 1979, No. 640, §§ 1, 2; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 34-2001, 34-2002; Acts 1989, No. 382, § 1.

A.C.R.C. Notes. Acts 1969, No. 28, § 2 provided that all orders entered before February 4, 1969, removing disabilities of minority of any male who has reached his 18th birthday and of any female who has reached her 16th birthday, would be valid and binding, as far as the age limit is concerned.

As originally enacted, subdivisions (a) and (d)(1) began: “The circuit courts and the chancery courts.” In addition, the first sentence of subdivision (d)(1) provided that the courts: “shall have concurrent jurisdiction.” References to chancery courts have been deleted in light of Ark. Const., Amend. 80, which abolished chancery courts and established circuit courts as the trial courts of original jurisdiction, effective July 1, 2001.