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Arkansas Advance Directive

An Arkansas Advance Directive is a legal document that sets forth your wishes regarding health care, such as your refusal or acceptance of a specific medical treatment, and/or selection of a chosen decision maker.

The individual making an Advance Directive is called the "principal," and the person or entity gaining authority to carry out the principal's wishes is called the "agent." Suitable for residents of Arkansas, this free Advance Directive can be used in Benton County, Washington County, Pulaski County, and in all other counties in the state. Any Arkansas Advance Directive from Rocket Lawyer can be modified to address your unique scenario. Creating this essential legal document provides proof of your preferences to medical institutions, and it will certify that your representatives have been authorized to make choices for you when you are not able.

It's fast and simple to record your medical wishes with a free Arkansas Advance Directive template from Rocket Lawyer:

1. Make your Advance Directive - Provide a few basic details, and we will do the rest
2. Send or share it - Discuss it with your healthcare agent(s) or seek legal help
3. Sign it and make it legal - Required or not, notarization/witnesses are encouraged

This method will often end up being much less time-consuming than finding and working with a conventional attorney. If necessary, you may start this Advance Directive on behalf of a family member, and then help that person sign it after you've drafted it. Keep in mind that for an Advance Directive to be considered valid, the principal must be mentally competent at the time of signing. If the principal has already been declared legally incompetent, a court-appointed conservatorship could be required. When dealing with such a situation, it is a good idea to speak to an attorney.

Every adult ought to have an Advance Healthcare Directive (both a Healthcare Power of Attorney and a Living Will) in place. While it may be challenging to think about, there may come a time when you aren't able to make your own medical decisions. Typical occasions where it can be useful to make or update your Advance Directive include:

• You are getting older or have declining health
• You reside in or intend to move into a community care facility
• You plan to undergo a medical procedure that requires anesthesia
• You have been diagnosed with a terminal condition

Whether your Arkansas Advance Directive has been drafted as part of a long-term plan or created as a result of a change in your health, witnesses and/or notarization often help to protect your document if anyone questions its credibility. Please note that in Arkansas, this document is not valid if the principal is pregnant.

Making an Advance Directive is generally straightforward, but you or your agent may need legal advice. Getting an attorney to look over your Advance Directive could take longer than you'd expect on your own. An alternate approach might be through the On Call network of attorneys. Rocket Lawyer members have the ability to request advice from an experienced attorney or ask other questions. As always, you can be confident that Rocket Lawyer is by your side.

The cost of working with a traditional law firm to write an Advance Directive might be anywhere between $200 and $1,000, depending on where you are. Rocket Lawyer isn't your average Advance Directive template website. With us, anyone under a Rocket Lawyer Premium membership has access to up to a 40% discount when hiring an On Call attorney.

As a Rocket Lawyer member, you may edit it, download it as a Word or PDF file, and/or print it out. To make this Arkansas Medical Directive into a truly legal document, you need to sign it. Take care to ensure that your agent(s), care providers, and other impacted parties get their copy of the fully executed document.

The specific guidelines and restrictions for Advance Directives will be different in each state; however, in Arkansas, your Advance Directive needs to be signed by two witnesses or a notary public. At least one witness to this Advance Directive must be someone who is not a relative, spouse, adoptee, heir, or any other beneficiary. As a general standard, your witnesses will need to be at least 18 years old, and none of them should simultaneously be designated as your healthcare agent.

Legal references for an Advance Directive in Arkansas: Title 20, Subtitle 2, Ch. 6, Subchapter 1