AR Judgment Collection

How to Collect Your Judgment in Arkansas

You already won. Here's how to actually get paid — debtor's exam, wage garnishment, bank levies, and property liens, with the exact Arkansas forms and deadlines.

10 years (renewable)

Judgment good for

Contract judgments: the contract rate or 10% per annum, whichever is greater; all other judgments: 10% per annum (Ark. Code § 16-65-114), capped at the max permitted by Arkansas Constitution Amendment 89.

Interest accrues at

Available

Wage garnishment

10 yrs

Property lien

Your collection options in Arkansas

Work them roughly in this order — find the assets first, then go after them.

Find the money — debtor's asset exam

Compels the debtor to disclose, under oath, where they bank, work, and what they own — the information every other step depends on.

Creditor may use post-judgment discovery and ask the court to order the debtor to appear and answer questions about assets, so the creditor can locate property to levy or garnish.

Garnish wages

Form Writ of Garnishment + Notice to Defendant

Diverts part of the debtor's paycheck to you — up to 25% of disposable earnings (federal CCPA cap); 75% / at least $217.50 of weekly take-home is protected.

A writ of garnishment of earnings together with a 'Notice to Defendant' must be served and returned like a summons (Ark. Code § 16-110-402).

Filed with: clerk of the court that entered the judgment; served like a summons, with a copy mailed to the debtor within 5 days

Levy the bank account

Form Writ of Garnishment

Freezes and pulls non-exempt funds straight from the debtor's bank account.

Creditor issues a writ of garnishment to a third party (e.g., the debtor's bank) to capture funds owed to or held for the debtor; served and returned like a summons.

Lien their real estate

Attaches to property the debtor owns for 10 years — you get paid when they sell or refinance. The cheap, passive backstop.

A judgment of a circuit court is a lien on the debtor's real property in the county where rendered; to reach property in other counties, file a certified copy of the judgment with the circuit clerk of that county (Ark. Code § 16-65-117).

Court fee: circuit clerk filing fee (varies)

The fine print that matters in Arkansas

How long your judgment lasts

A judgment and its lien last 10 years from entry (Ark. Code § 16-65-117 / § 16-66-101). Extended by reviving the judgment via writ of scire facias — the exclusive means to extend duration (Act 1113 of 2015). The debtor has 30 days to object; if no objection, the judgment is renewed for another 10 years.

Interest while you wait

Ark. Code § 16-65-114; Ark. Const. Amend. 89 (replaced former Art. 19 §13)

What the debtor can protect (exemptions)

Arkansas constitutional homestead: rural up to 160 acres / urban up to 1 acre (¼-1 acre), value-capped at $2,500 for the smaller-acreage protection (Ark. Const. Art. 9 §§ 3-5). Wages protected to federal 25% cap plus the $25/week laborer-mechanic exemption. Personal-property exemption ($500 married / $200 single) is low under the state constitution; debtors often use federal exemptions in bankruptcy.

Arkansas gotchas

Renewal MUST be by writ of scire facias — it is the exclusive method (Act 1113 of 2015); other 'renewal' attempts do not extend the lien. Arkansas's state personal-property exemption is unusually small ($200/$500), but the homestead (acreage-based) is generous. Post-judgment interest floors at 10% for both contract and non-contract judgments.

Let us prepare your Arkansas collection paperwork

We prepare your Arkansas-specific enforcement forms — debtor's exam, garnishment, levy, or lien — plus a plain-English playbook telling you exactly where to file and what each step costs. You file them; we never charge a cut of what you collect.

$299

flat — plus the court/sheriff's own filing fees, paid directly

Collection firms take 33–50% of what they recover. On a $4,000 judgment that's $1,300–$2,000. Our flat fee keeps the rest in your pocket.

Arkansas Judgment Collection FAQ

How long do I have to collect a judgment in Arkansas?

A Arkansas judgment is enforceable for 10 years, and can be renewed before it expires. A judgment and its lien last 10 years from entry (Ark. Code § 16-65-117 / § 16-66-101). Extended by reviving the judgment via writ of scire facias — the exclusive means to extend duration (Act 1113 of 2015). The debtor has 30 days to object; if no objection, the judgment is renewed for another 10 years.

Can I garnish the debtor's wages in Arkansas?

Yes. Garnishment in Arkansas can reach 25% of disposable earnings (federal CCPA cap); 75% / at least $217.50 of weekly take-home is protected. Exemptions: First $25.00 per week of net wages of laborers and mechanics is absolutely exempt (Ark. Code § 16-110-415); plus federal 75% protection. Personal-property exemptions under Ark. Const. Art. 9.

How do I find out where the debtor banks or works?

Through Examination of judgment debtor (post-judgment discovery) — the court orders the debtor to appear and disclose their assets under oath. Creditor may use post-judgment discovery and ask the court to order the debtor to appear and answer questions about assets, so the creditor can locate property to levy or garnish.

Can I put a lien on the debtor's house in Arkansas?

What does it cost to collect, and what do you charge?

You pay the court and sheriff their own filing/levy fees directly (usually modest, and recoverable from the debtor). Our Judgment Collection service is a flat $299 — we prepare your Arkansas-specific enforcement forms and a step-by-step filing playbook; you file them. Compared with collection firms that take 33–50% of what they recover, that's hundreds to thousands less on a typical judgment.

What if the debtor genuinely has no money?

Some debtors are "judgment-proof" — no job, no bank account, no equity — and no tool can squeeze money that isn't there. The honest play is the debtor's exam to confirm what exists, then keep the judgment alive (it lasts 10 years and is renewable) and try again when their situation changes. We give you the tools, not a guaranteed payout.

Collecting a judgment by county in Arkansas

Where you file your garnishment or levy depends on the counties.

All 75 counties in Arkansas

Arkansas County Ashley County Baxter County Benton County Boone County Bradley County Calhoun County Carroll County Chicot County Clark County Clay County Cleburne County Cleveland County Columbia County Conway County Craighead County Crawford County Crittenden County Cross County Dallas County Desha County Drew County Faulkner County Franklin County Fulton County Garland County Grant County Greene County Hempstead County Hot Spring County Howard County Independence County Izard County Jackson County Jefferson County Johnson County Lafayette County Lawrence County Lee County Lincoln County Little River County Logan County Lonoke County Madison County Marion County Miller County Mississippi County Monroe County Montgomery County Nevada County Newton County Ouachita County Perry County Phillips County Pike County Poinsett County Polk County Pope County Prairie County Pulaski County Randolph County Saline County Scott County Searcy County Sebastian County Sevier County Sharp County St. Francis County Stone County Union County Van Buren County Washington County White County Woodruff County Yell County

Official Arkansas sources

This page is general information about collecting a money judgment in Arkansas, not legal advice. Forms, fees, and procedures change and vary by court — confirm the current requirements with the court that entered your judgment before filing.

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