What is Small Claims Court?
In Arkansas, each district court has a division known as small claims court. In small claims court, you can sue to recover for damages to personal property, money owed or for delivery of personal property which is worth $5,000 or less. More
Filing a Small Claims Suit
Before you file a small claims suit make sure that you have some proof of the debt such as a receipt, note, bill of sale, warranty or witness. To start a small claims case, you must file a claim form with the district court. The amount of the claim may not exceed $5,000. More
Small Claims Trials
The plaintiff and the defendant need to prepare for trial and should bring all witnesses and necessary papers to court. After both parties have presented their witnesses, testimony and evidence, the judge will make a decision, called a judgment. More
Witnesses at a Small Claims Trial
Witnesses are people who come to court to tell what they have seen or heard. These people should either be witnesses who saw what happened or experts on the subject matter of the claim involved. Whether you are the plaintiff or the defendant, you may bring witnesses to trial to support your story. More
After Small Claims Court
Generally, the judge's decision will be announced at the end of a small claims trial. The judgment will specify which side won and if money damages are being awarded, the amount of those damages. Either side may appeal for a new trial within 30 days of the date the judgment is entered. More
Collecting the Judgment
The small claims process isn't necessarily over just because you filed a claim, went to trial and won a court judgment. You may need to take action and spend money to enforce the judgment. You can request that the court issue either a writ of garnishment or a writ of execution. More
Alternatives to Small Claims Court
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is a process in which a neutral person helps people resolve their case. There are many different kinds of ADR, such as mediation and arbitration. ADR is usually less formal, less expensive and less time-consuming than a trial. More