Arkansas Indigent Burial Policy
Arkansas is one of many states which relegates to the counties the responsibility of disposing of unclaimed bodies.
Other People Are Reading
-
Indigent Policy
-
Article 7, Section 28 of the Arkansas Constitution states that county courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction in all matters relating to paupers.
Possession
-
Title 20 of the Arkansas Code dictates that the person who has possession of an unclaimed body must conduct a diligent search for the next of kin or request the local sheriff to conduct such a search. If no next of kin is found after 48 hours, the body must be turned over to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to be used for anatomical research. UAMS is responsible for lawfully disposing of the remains when their research is concluded.
-
Disposition
-
If UAMS does not wish to accept the body or if there is proof the deceased did not wish their remains to be used for medical research, the body is to be buried or disposed of according to law. The statues do not specify exactly what this means or who is to pay for it. The details would have to be determined by the appropriate county court.
-
