Arkansas Garnishment Forms and Interrogatories: What to File for Wages and Bank Accounts

The Garnishment Paperwork You'll Need in Arkansas

Filing a garnishment in Arkansas District Court requires specific forms, and the exact paperwork depends on whether you're going after wages or a bank account. The core document is the Writ of Garnishment, but it doesn't travel alone — it ships with interrogatories that the garnishee (employer or bank) must answer under penalty of a default judgment.

Here's what the package looks like and how each piece works.

Writ of Garnishment and Standard Interrogatories

When you apply for a Writ of Garnishment at the District Court Clerk's office, the clerk issues the writ along with a set of standard interrogatories — written questions the garnishee must answer. The writ fee is $10.00.

For wage garnishments, the interrogatories typically ask the employer to confirm whether the debtor is currently employed, state their pay frequency and gross/net earnings, identify existing garnishment orders or child support withholdings, and calculate the amount available for garnishment under the 25% disposable earnings cap (or the amount exceeding 30 times the federal minimum wage of $217.50 per week, whichever is less).

For bank account garnishments, the interrogatories ask the financial institution to confirm whether the debtor holds accounts, state the balance on the date of service, identify any federal benefit deposits within the prior 60 days (protected under 31 C.F.R. Part 212), and calculate the non-exempt funds available for turnover.

The garnishee has 30 days from the date of service to file a written answer to these interrogatories with the court under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-110-407. If an employer doesn't respond, the court may enter a default judgment for the non-exempt wages it owed the debtor on the date of service; a bank's writ warns that failure to answer may expose it to a direct judgment for the full judgment amount plus court costs. These consequences get most employers and banks to respond promptly. For more on what happens when an employer ignores the writ, see our post on garnishee answer deadlines.

Continuing Wage Garnishment vs. One-Time Bank Levy

These two garnishment types work differently in practice.

Continuing wage garnishment stays active against the debtor's ongoing paychecks until the judgment balance (including post-judgment interest at the rate specified in a lawful written contract, if applicable, or otherwise 10% per annum simple, and court costs) is fully satisfied, or until the debtor leaves that employer. You don't need to file a new writ each pay period — one writ creates a continuing obligation on the employer. If the debtor changes jobs, however, you'll need a new writ served on the new employer.

A bank account levy is a one-time freeze. When the writ is served on the bank, the institution freezes whatever non-exempt funds are in the account at that moment. The bank answers the interrogatories, you wait for the debtor's 20-day exemption claim window to pass, and then the court orders the bank to turn over the non-exempt funds. If the judgment isn't fully satisfied, you'll need to file another writ and pay another $10 fee plus sheriff service ($50) to levy the account again.

This is why many judgment creditors start with wage garnishment if they know the debtor's employer — it's a continuous stream. Bank levies work better when you know there's a lump sum sitting in an account, or when the debtor is self-employed and doesn't receive regular wages.

Reviving a Judgment Before It Expires

Arkansas's 2025 Act 986 replaced scire facias with a Notice of Outstanding Judgment to revive an outstanding judgment under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-65-501. The notice must state the creditor and debtor names, court and case number, current balance after payments and credits, and the creditor's intent to maintain the judgment lien in the county where the notice is filed. File it before the lien expires; the notice must be mailed first-class, postage prepaid, to the debtor's last known address.

The filing fee is $20.00 with the Circuit Court Clerk, and no reopening fee applies. If the judgment lien is recorded in another county, record a copy of the filed notice there before expiration to continue that lien. If the debtor changes jobs, you'll need to file, pay for, and serve a new garnishment writ on the new employer. When no one appears to show cause after proper notice, the judgment and lien continue for another 10 years.

This procedure concerns the life of the judgment itself, not an interruption in paycheck withholding.

Service Requirements You Can't Skip

Every garnishment writ must be properly served. The writ, interrogatories, and the statutory "Notice to Defendant" go to the garnishee (employer or bank) through the County Sheriff ($50 service fee) or via certified mail with return receipt.

Within five business days of serving the garnishee, you must also mail a copy of the writ and the statutory notice to the debtor's last known address by first-class mail, then file a Certificate of Service with the court. Miss this step and the garnishment can be challenged.

Getting the Full Enforcement Toolkit

Garnishment is one of several enforcement tools available after an Arkansas small claims judgment. To understand how it fits alongside writs of execution, real estate liens, and asset discovery, our complete judgment collection guide covers every option with the forms, fees, and step-by-step filing instructions for each.

See more Arkansas guides →