How to Find Someone's Employer for Garnishment in Arkansas

The Employer Problem in Arkansas Wage Garnishment

To file a Writ of Garnishment against someone's wages in Arkansas, you need to tell the District Court Clerk who the employer is. The clerk issues the writ, and the sheriff serves it — but they serve it on a specific employer at a specific address. They won't track down the debtor's workplace for you.

This is one of the biggest frustrations for judgment creditors in Arkansas: courts require you to identify the garnishee before you can use the garnishment tool, but they don't help you figure out who that is. Here are the practical methods that actually work.

Start With the Debtor's Schedule of Property

Under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-66-221, every judgment debtor in Arkansas is required to file a verified Schedule of Property (also called an Affidavit of Financial Means) within 45 days of the judgment being entered. This document must list the debtor's employer, wages, bank accounts, real property, and personal assets.

If the debtor filed the schedule on time, walk into the District Court Clerk's office with your case number and ask to see it. The employer name and address should be right there.

If the debtor didn't file it — which happens frequently — you can file a motion asking the judge for an order to show cause. Continued non-compliance can result in a bench warrant or civil contempt. The threat of a court order often produces the schedule even when the 45-day deadline passed quietly.

Check Public Records Before Filing Motions

Before going back to court, several public sources can reveal employment:

County Tax Assessor records. Arkansas counties maintain personal property tax assessment records that list an individual's declared personal property. While these don't always show an employer directly, they can reveal vehicles, business equipment, or trade tools that point to a line of work or business affiliation. Some counties offer online property searches.

Social media and professional profiles. LinkedIn, Facebook, and similar platforms frequently list current employers. People update their work status on social media even when they're ignoring a court judgment. Check before you spend money on motions.

The original case file. Review the complaint, any documents the debtor filed, and your own records from the lawsuit. The debtor may have listed an employer or business on their answer, or employment details may have come up during the hearing.

Secretary of State business search. If the debtor runs a business, the Arkansas Secretary of State's business entity database shows registered agents, officers, and business addresses. A debtor who is self-employed or owns an LLC may not be garnishable through a traditional wage writ, but knowing their business status helps you decide between wage garnishment and other tools like a bank levy.

Post-Judgment Discovery in the Civil Division

If your case was transferred from Small Claims to the Civil Division of District Court — which happens automatically if either party hires an attorney — you gain access to formal post-judgment discovery tools under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-66-418 and Rule 69 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure.

These tools include post-judgment interrogatories (written questions the debtor must answer under oath, including employer details), requests for production of documents (pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements), and subpoenas commanding the debtor to appear for an oral examination.

In the Small Claims Division, these formal discovery tools aren't directly available — which is why the § 16-66-221 Schedule of Property is so important. It's the Small Claims Division's primary mechanism for forcing the debtor to disclose assets and income.

What to Do If the Debtor Is Self-Employed

A traditional wage garnishment requires an employer to serve. If the debtor is self-employed and has no employer, a bank account garnishment is usually the better tool. You'll need to identify their bank (the Schedule of Property should list it, or you may know it from checks they've written), and the writ freezes whatever non-exempt funds are in the account on the date of service.

For a full walkthrough of all enforcement options — garnishment, bank levies, property execution, and real estate liens — our Arkansas judgment collection guide covers each tool with the specific forms, fees, and filing steps for Arkansas District Court.

Our post on asset discovery methods covers additional strategies for locating a debtor's bank accounts and other assets beyond employment.

See more Arkansas guides →