How to Respond to Small Claims Court in Arkansas

You Have 30 Days From Service — Not From When You Read the Papers

The clock starts on the service date shown in the return of service or signed certified-mail receipt. Under Arkansas District Court Rule 6(b), you must file a written answer with the court clerk within 30 calendar days of that service date (60 days if you are incarcerated). If you were served on a Monday, Day 1 is Tuesday. Count forward 30 days (60 if you are incarcerated), and if the final day lands on a Saturday, Sunday, or state holiday, the deadline extends to the next business day.

Missing the deadline can allow the court to enter a default judgment for the relief requested, plus court costs, without an answer from you.

What Your Written Answer Needs to Include

Arkansas doesn't require fancy legal formatting. You can use the blank answer form that came with your summons (titled "Answer and Affirmative Relief" or "Small Claims Answer") or type your own document. Either way, under District Court Rule 6(a), include:

• The case caption — court name, county, case number, and both party names exactly as they appear on the summons
• Your response to each claim — state specifically what you agree with, what you deny, and why
• Any affirmative defenses — for example, the statute of limitations has passed (five years for written contracts, three years for oral agreements under Arkansas Code § 16-56-111 and § 16-56-105)
• A counterclaim if the plaintiff owes you money from the same dispute (up to $5,000 in small claims)
• A Certificate of Service confirming you mailed a copy to the plaintiff
• Your signature, mailing address, phone number, and email

Don't leave anything blank on the form. If a section doesn't apply, write "N/A."

How to File and Serve Your Answer

Filing means delivering the original to the District Court Clerk — in person, by mail, or through eFlex electronic filing if your court accepts it (most small claims courts still require paper from self-represented defendants). There is no fee to file a written answer in Arkansas.

Serving means mailing a copy of your completed answer to the plaintiff by first-class mail. At the bottom of your answer, complete the Certificate of Service section with the date you mailed it and the plaintiff's address. Keep the postal receipt as proof.

Filing without serving the plaintiff leaves the required service step incomplete. Mail a copy and complete the Certificate of Service.

Filing the Answer Is Only Half the Job

A common trap: defendants file the answer and assume they're done. In Arkansas small claims, you have a dual obligation. You must file the written answer within the applicable deadline (30 days, or 60 days if you are incarcerated) and show up in court on the scheduled hearing date. Skipping either one can result in a default judgment — even if you did the other correctly.

The hearing date is printed on your summons or in a separate notice. Mark both dates the moment you open the envelope: the answer deadline and the hearing date.

What If You Need More Time?

You can file a written motion asking the judge for a continuance — a new hearing date. A continuance does not extend the written-answer deadline; any extension must be granted by the judge in a written order. A motion for continuance doesn't automatically push anything back. Until you see a signed order, treat the original deadlines as locked.

Never rely on the plaintiff telling you "don't worry about filing." Only a judge's written order changes a court deadline.

If you've been served and need to organize your response, the Arkansas Small Claims Response Guide walks through every step — from calculating your exact deadline to formatting the answer and preparing for the hearing.

See more Arkansas guides →