How to Answer a Summons for Debt Collection in Arkansas (2025)

You have 30 days to respond to a debt collection summons in Arkansas. The good news? Arkansas doesn’t charge a filing fee for your Answer. But you need to act fast.

Getting sued by a debt collector feels overwhelming. You probably received a thick envelope in the mail with legal documents. Maybe you’re wondering what happens if you ignore it. (Spoiler: nothing good.)

Below, you’ll find everything you need to respond to your Arkansas debt lawsuit. We cover deadlines, forms, filing procedures, and state-specific rules that can help you win.

Arkansas Deadline to Answer a Debt Collection Summons

You have 30 days to file your Answer in Arkansas. Period.

Arkansas civil procedure law is crystal clear. According to Ark. Dist. Ct. R. 6(b), you must file an answer within 30 days after receiving the complaint.

Miss this deadline and you lose automatically. The court issues a default judgment against you. The debt collector can then garnish your wages and freeze your bank account.

Most Arkansas courts count the filing date based on when they receive your document. Start drafting your Answer immediately. Don’t wait until day 29.

Our partner Solo can help you respond to your lawsuit in minutes. You don’t need an attorney to fight back.

Arkansas Answer Forms for Debt Collection Lawsuits

Arkansas provides an online Answer form program. But it’s clunky and outdated.

The Arkansas Online Answer Form technically works. But the interface looks like it’s from 1995. Plus, it doesn’t guide you through affirmative defenses.

Our partner Solo offers a modern solution. You answer simple questions. The software generates a court-ready Answer document. You can have everything filed within 15 minutes.

No confusing legal jargon. No guessing if you filled it out correctly. Just straightforward answers to your debt lawsuit.

Arkansas Courts Don’t Charge an Answer Filing Fee

Here’s some rare good news: Arkansas courts don’t charge you to file your Answer.

Many states charge $100 or more just to respond to a lawsuit. Arkansas doesn’t. You can file your Answer at no cost.

You might face fees if you file other documents later. Counterclaims and certain motions can trigger court costs. Check with your court clerk for their fee schedule.

But for your initial Answer? Free.

How to Respond to a Debt Collection Lawsuit in Arkansas

Responding to your lawsuit takes three steps. Each one is essential.

Arkansas law requires specific information in your Answer. Ark. Dist. Ct. R. 6(a) lays out exactly what you need.

Your Answer must include:

• Your response to each allegation in the Complaint
• Your affirmative defenses with factual basis
• Your address or your attorney’s address

Our partner Solo includes all required elements automatically. You just answer questions about your situation.

Step 1: Answer Each Allegation in the Complaint

The Complaint lists numbered paragraphs. Each paragraph makes a claim about you or the debt.

You must respond to every single paragraph. Choose one of three responses:

• Admit: You agree the statement is true
• Deny: You dispute the claim and demand proof
• Deny due to lack of knowledge: You don’t have enough information to admit or deny

Most attorneys recommend denying everything you’re unsure about. When you deny a claim, the debt collector must prove it in court.

Many debt collectors can’t actually prove their claims. They lack proper documentation. They can’t verify the debt amount. They can’t show they own your debt.

Making them prove everything increases your chances of winning.

Step 2: Assert Your Affirmative Defenses

Affirmative defenses are your legal weapons. They give judges reasons to dismiss the case against you.

Common affirmative defenses in Arkansas debt cases include:

• The statute of limitations has expired
• The debt collector harassed you in violation of the FDCPA
• The creditor breached the contract first
• You’re on active military duty
• The account isn’t yours (identity theft)
• You already paid the debt
• You were a co-signer but weren’t informed of your rights

The statute of limitations defense is powerful. If the debt is too old, the collector can’t legally sue you. More on this below.

Our partner Solo helps you identify which defenses apply to your case. The software walks you through each option.

Step 3: File Your Answer With the Court

You’re almost done. Now you need to file your Answer properly.

Here’s what to do:

• Print two copies of your Answer
• Mail one copy to the court clerk
• Mail the other copy to the plaintiff’s attorney

The plaintiff attorney’s address appears on the Summons. But the court’s mailing address can be tricky to find.

Google often shows the physical courthouse address, not the mailing address. These are usually different. You’ll probably need to call the court clerk to get the correct mailing address.

Our partner Solo can file your Answer for you. They know exactly where to send your documents. No phone calls required.

How to Settle Debt in Arkansas

You can settle your debt even after being sued. Many collectors will negotiate.

Settling means you pay less than the full amount owed. The collector agrees to accept your payment as full satisfaction of the debt.

Settling does impact your credit score. But not as badly as a judgment against you.

Respond to Your Lawsuit First

You must file your Answer even if you want to settle. Never skip this step.

Some people think, “I’ll just settle, so I don’t need to respond.” Wrong. If you don’t file an Answer within 30 days, you get a default judgment. Game over.

Once you have a judgment against you, the collector has no incentive to settle. They can already garnish your wages.

File your Answer first. Then start settlement negotiations.

Make Your Initial Settlement Offer

Debt collectors won’t offer to settle. You have to initiate.

Before you start, figure out what you can actually afford to pay. Be realistic. If you offer to settle but can’t pay, the collector will just restart the lawsuit.

Start by offering 60% of the total debt. This gives you room to negotiate up. If you start too low (like 20%), the collector might not take you seriously.

Explain why they should accept. If you’re unemployed or have other judgments against you, tell them. Collectors know that getting something is better than getting nothing.

Get Your Settlement in Writing

Never rely on verbal agreements. Get everything in writing.

Your settlement agreement should include:

• The exact amount you’ll pay
• The payment method
• The payment deadline
• A statement that the collector waives the remaining balance

This written agreement protects you. Without it, the collector could accept your payment and still demand the rest.

Arkansas Debt Collection Laws Protect You

Federal law gives you powerful protections against abusive debt collectors.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) prohibits:

• Calling you before 8 AM or after 9 PM
• Calling you at work if you’ve asked them to stop
• Harassing, threatening, or abusing you
• Lying to you about the debt
• Threatening actions they can’t legally take

If a collector violates the FDCPA, you can sue them. You might win up to $1,000 in damages plus attorney fees.

Document every interaction with debt collectors. Save voicemails. Keep letters. Note the date, time, and content of every call.

The Statute of Limitations on Debt in Arkansas

The statute of limitations is your secret weapon. It sets a deadline for how long collectors can sue you.

After the statute expires, you still owe the debt. But collectors can’t win a lawsuit against you. They have no legal standing.

Judges won’t check this for you. You must raise it as an affirmative defense in your Answer.

The clock starts on the date of your last payment or account activity. Not when you opened the account.

Arkansas has some of the shortest statutes for medical debt in the country. Medical providers have just two years to sue you under Ark. Code § 16-56-106.

Most written contracts (credit cards, personal loans, auto loans) fall under the five-year limit in Ark. Code § 16-56-111.

Be careful: making a payment restarts the clock. If you haven’t paid on a credit card for four years, you only have one year left on the statute. But if you make a $50 payment, the five-year clock starts over.

Never make a payment on old debt without consulting an attorney first.

How to Stop Wage Garnishment in Arkansas

Wage garnishment happens after you lose a lawsuit. Prevention is your best strategy.

Arkansas follows federal wage garnishment limits. Collectors can take the lesser of:

• 25% of your weekly disposable earnings, or
• The amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage ($7.25)

Losing a quarter of your paycheck every week creates serious financial hardship. You need to stop garnishment before it starts.

Prevent Garnishment by Responding to Your Lawsuit

Garnishment only happens after a judgment. No judgment, no garnishment.

The path to garnishment looks like this:

• You fall behind on debt → Collector sues you → You don’t respond → Court issues default judgment → Collector garnishes your wages

You can break this chain at any point. The easiest intervention? File your Answer to the lawsuit.

Even if you eventually lose at trial, filing an Answer buys you time. You can negotiate a settlement. You can arrange a payment plan. You can potentially get the case dismissed.

Once garnishment starts, stopping it is nearly impossible. The collector has zero incentive to negotiate. They’re already getting paid automatically from your paycheck.

Arkansas Legal Aid Organizations

You can get free legal help if you qualify based on income.

Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc.
714 South Main Street
Jonesboro, AR 72401
(800) 952-9243
www.arlegalservices.org

Center for Arkansas Legal Services
1300 W. 6th Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
(800) 950-5817
www.arlegalservices.org

These organizations offer free assistance to low-income residents. Call them to see if you qualify.

Arkansas Debt Relief Programs

Several Arkansas programs can help you manage debt and improve your financial situation.

Before seeking relief, verify that you actually owe the debt. The FDCPA gives you the right to request validation from debt collectors.

Send a Debt Validation Letter within 30 days of the collector’s first contact. Request:

• The exact amount you allegedly owe
• The name of the original creditor
• Proof of a contract between you and the creditor
• Proof that the collector is authorized to collect this debt

If the collector can’t provide proper validation, you don’t have to pay.

Arkansas offers these assistance programs:

• Rural Community Grant Program: Financial assistance for residents in unincorporated areas and towns under 3,000 people
• Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA): Aid for families with children plus job training
• Arkansas Work Pays: Ongoing support for TEA graduates
• ARKids First: Health insurance for children in low-income households

These programs don’t directly pay your debt. But they free up money in your budget so you can pay down debt faster.

Check Your Arkansas Court Case Status

Arkansas makes it easy to track your case online.

Use CourtConnect, the state’s public access portal. You can search by case number or by your name.

If you know your case number, just enter it in the search box. If you don’t have the number, select “participant name” from the dropdown menu. Then search for your name or the plaintiff’s name.

You can filter results by date range, case type, and county.

Some smaller counties might not have all records online. If you can’t find your case on CourtConnect, contact the court clerk directly. Arkansas provides directories for county clerks, circuit clerks, and district courts.

Monitoring your case helps you stay on top of deadlines and court dates. Check it regularly.

Find Your Local Arkansas Court

Your Summons should list which court is handling your case. Look for the court name at the top of the document.

If you’re still unsure which court to file with, use the Arkansas court directory. You can find your courthouse location and the clerk’s phone number.

Common Arkansas district courts include:

• Pulaski County District Court (Little Rock, North Little Rock, Maumelle)
• Benton County District Court (Bentonville, Rogers, Siloam Springs)
• Washington County District Court (Fayetteville, Springdale)
• Sebastian County District Court (Fort Smith, Greenwood)
• Garland County District Court (Hot Springs)

When in doubt, call the clerk. Explain that you received a Summons and need to confirm the correct filing address. Clerks answer these questions constantly.