Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

SelfHelpGuide
RepresentingYourselfinCourt
ArkansasCourtHelpOnlineLegalLibraryDocument|July2013
This document provides general information about the steps involved for a
civil lawsuit in Arkansas. We understand that not everyone can afford a
lawyer, but if possible, speak with a lawyer before beginning a lawsuit. Free
attorneyservicesmaybeavailablethroughthetwofreelegalaidorganizations
in Arkansas. Call our toll free number 18009 LAW AID (18009529243) to
see if you qualify or visit www.arlegalservices.org/helpline for more
informationandhoursofoperation.

Findselfhelpinformationaboutthedifferentstepsyoumayneedtotakebefore,during,andafteryou
gotocourt.Ifyoucomeacrossalegaltermyoudonotunderstandthenyoucanlookitupinoureasy
read legal glossary at the end of each section or visit our full glossary on our website at
www.arlegalservices.org/dictionary.

CONTENTS

EvaluateYourSituation(WhattypeofcasedoIhave?)
BeforeYouFilePaperswiththeCourt

FilingYourPaperswiththeCourt

NotifyingtheotherParty

HowtoPrepareandPresentYourCase

AfterCourt:WinorLose

1
5
6
7
9
12

DISCLAIMER

TheALSPSeriesisproducedbytheArkansasLegalServicesPartnership,acollaborationoftheCenterforArkansasLegalServices,LegalAid
ofArkansas,ArkansasLegalServicesPartnershipandtheArkansasAccesstoJusticeCommission.Thesenonprofitorganizationsprovidefree
legal services to eligible Arkansans who meet income, asset and other guidelines. Legal services may include advice and counsel, brief
services,orfullrepresentationdependingonthesituation.Additionalinformationcanbefoundat:http\\www.arlegalservices.org.Toapply
forfreecivillegalservices,call18009LAWAID.

Theinformationandstatementsoflawinthisfactsheetshouldnotbeconsideredlegaladvice.Thispacketisprovidedasabroadguideto
helpyouunderstandhowcertainlegalmattersarehandledingeneral.Courtsmayinterpretthelawdifferently.Beforeyoutakeaction,talk
toanattorneyandfollowhisorheradvice.Alwaysdowhatthecourttellsyoutodo.

Copyright 2014 Arkansas Legal Services Partnership Some Rights Reserved.

Visit www.arlegalservices.org for more information

1|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

EvaluateYourSituationWhattypeofcaseisit?
Knowingwhattypeofcaseorissueyouhaveisaveryimportantfirststepanditwill
helpyoufigureouthowtoproceed.Thefirstquestiontoconsideriswhetheryour
case is a civil matter or a criminal matter. It is very important to understand the
differencebetweentwotypesoflegalcases:civilcasesandcriminalcases.Criminal
casesusuallyinvolveapersonbeingchargedwithaviolationofthecriminalcode
andthecaseisbetweenthestateandaperson.

Usually,onlycriminalcasescanresultinjailorprisonpunishment.Theexceptionstothisrulemightbe
some instances including contempt of court and criminal eviction. In civil cases, the conflict is usually
between two or more people. Some examples of civil cases include: divorce, child support, contract
issuesorhousingissues.Thisresourceprovidesinformationonlyaboutcivillawsuitsandlegalaidcan
only accept civil cases. Most of the information in this selfhelp guide is about the types of civil cases
mostfrequentlyhandledinArkansascourtsbyselfrepresentedparties.

CivilCases
Yourlegalsituationisimportanttoyouandtotheotherparty.Thefilingofacourtcaseaffectsyour
legal rights and the rights and duties of the other party. For this reason, its very important that you
stop and take the time to think whether or not a court case is the best way to resolve your
disagreement. Again, speaking to an attorney about your options will likely be very helpful. Some
attorneysmayspeakwithyouaboutyourcaseforasmallfeeevenifyoudonothiretheattorneyto
fullyrepresentyou.Someattorneysmayevenprovidejustcertainservicesthatyouneedinsteadoffull
representation.Thiscandrasticallylowerthecostofalegalbill.However,ofgoingtocourtlookslikethe
onlyoptionandyoumustrepresentyourselfthenyoumustlearnthelawthatappliestoyoursituation
andplanhowtogoforwardwithyourlawsuit.
The first step to think about is handling your dispute outside of court. Court cases take time, cost
moneyand maycausesomestressordisruptioninyourlife.Somestrategiestouseinhandlingyour
problemoutsideofcourtmaybe:
1. Talkwiththeotherparty.Makesureyoutakethetimetocommunicateallthefactscorrectly.
Ifitspossible,trytotalkinaneutralareaorbyphone.Ifyoureachanagreement,putitin
writing,signitandhavetheotherpersonsignittoo.Forsampleagreements,checkouronline
formlibrary,visityourlocallawlibrary,orcallanattorneyandaskhowmuchitwouldcost.

2. Write a letter to the other party. Tell the other party what you expect done, give them a
reasonabletimetodoit,andperhapsincludeastatementthatyoumaypursuealegalactionby
acertaindate.Alwaysberespectful(especiallyinwriting),evenifyoureupset.Rememberto
makeacopyoftheletterforyourfilesandtosendtheletterbycertifiedmail.Ourwebsitehas
asampledemandletterinourContemptPacketinourformlibrary.

3. Considermediation.TherearenowmanymediatorsinArkansas.Theadvantageofmediation
is that its less costly and less formal than going to court. Also, it can sometimes be far less
adversarialthangoingtocourt.Aprofessionallyskilledandneutralmediatorwillhearyourstory
andtheothersideandworktofindmoreofawinwinresolutiontoyourdispute.Youcanfind
mediationprogramsathttps://courts.arkansas.gov/administration/adr/certifiedmediators.

2|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

Ifthesestrategiesdonotworkforyou,thenyoumayneedtofileacaseincourt.Thenextsectiontalks
abouthowtolearnwhetherornotyouhaveanactuallegalissueandwhattoconsiderbeforemaking
yourdecisiontogotocourt.

NextStepsWhatNow?
Your next step is to think about whether filing a lawsuit is really worth it. You should think about
whetherornotyouactuallyhavealegalmatterthatcanbeheardbyacourt,andifso,canyoureally
winthecase.And,ifyoudowin,youshouldmakesurethatthecostsandtimespentareinlinewiththe
amount of money you can actually get from the other party. Or in the case of a family law dispute
whether you are sure you want to go forward with an action like a divorce, custody, paternity or
contemptofacourtorderiftheotherparentisnotdoingwhatthecourtordered.

Once again, an attorney may be able to just help you with only this part of the process for a much
smallerfeecomparedtofullrepresentationbyanattorney.Ifyoudogoforwardbyyourselfthenyou
willlikelyneedtofigureoutthefollowing:

Learn about your legal issue and see if there is a remedy in court. Some issues will be pretty
clear that there is a legal remedy (such as you and your spouse want a divorce). Other issues
maynotbeasclearlyactionable,meaningthatthereisabasisinlawforyoutofilealawsuit.
Beforefilinganyformswiththecourtitisimportanttolearnaboutthelawthatappliestoyour
situation.WehavefreelegalinformationaboutmanylegalsubjectsinourOnlineLegalLibrary.
Learning about the area of law related to your situation will help you better understand (1) if
youhaveacase;(2)whatyouneedtowriteinyourpleadings(legalforms)thatyoufilewiththe
court. For instance, in a divorce case you must state your grounds for the divorce; and (3)
betterprepareforprovingyourcaseincourt.VisitourOnlineLegalLibraryheretolocatelegal
information.

Fileyourcaseontime.Thecourthasrulesabouthowmuchtimeyouhavebetweenthedateof
thedisputeandwhenyoucanfileacase.Manyfactorsaffecthowthisdateiscalculated,soyou
shouldfilesoonafterthedateofthedispute.

Canyouproveyourcasewithevidence?Whenyoufileacase,youbecometheplaintiff.
(Theopposingpartyisthedefendant.)Youalwayshavetheburdenofprooftoshowwhy
youshouldwin.Youshowyourproofaccordingtothelegalstandardcalledthepreponderance
oftheevidence,whichmeansthatyouaremorelikelytoberightthanwrong.Todothis,of
course,youwillneedtomakesurethatyouhavecollected,orwillbeabletocollect,evidence
thatexplainsyourdispute.Evidencecanbedocumentslikecontracts,invoices,lettersor
doctorsreports.Therearemanyrulesregardingdifferenttypesofevidenceandwhatthecourt
willadmitasproofandwhatitwont.

Followthelegalrequirementsforyourtypeofcase.Thetypeofcaseyoufiledetermineswhat
typeofevidenceyouwillneed.Forexample,inacontractdispute,youshouldhaveacopyof
thecontractsignedbybothparties.Inadivorcecase,youwillneedtoshowthatyouhave
groundsfordivorce.Whenyoufileacase,youwillneedtowriteinyourformsandlater
prove,mostlikelyincourt,theselegalrequirements.

You may also face some personal decisions about costs. In family law cases these cost may be both
personalandfinancial. Thesecostsmayimpactnotonlyyou,butyourchildren,closefriendsorother
relatives.Inothertypesofdisputesyoumayneedtothinkabouthowmuchyoumightgetifyouwinthe

3|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

case.Thisincludeswhatyouthinkyouareowed,butalsomightincludeanadditionalamountfromthe
other party to make you whole again and to get you back in the position you were in before the
dispute(thingssuchasinterest,courtcostsandattorneysfees).Also,exceptincasesofchildorspousal
support,youwillneedtomakesuretheotherpartyhastheabilitytopay.Forinstance,theotherparty
may have filed for bankruptcy. Or, sometimes the defendant just will refuse to pay. While you have
rightsinthatinstance,thepracticalproblemforyouisthatyouwillneedtospendmoretime,bothin
courtandout,toactuallyeverseeanyofyourmoney.
Finally, you will need to decide how you will handle your casewith an attorney or by yourself. An
attorneyisprofessionallyobligatedtodowhatisbestforyou,theclient.Forthatreason,itisalways
advisabletouseanattorney.Ifyoucannotaffordtohireanattorneythenyoumightbeeligibleforfree
legalservicesdependingonyourincomelevelandcasetype.Clickhereformoreinformation.

Tohelpyoudecideifyoumightbesuccessfulhandlingacaseonyourown,usethisquiz.(LINK)
Ifyouareready,thenmoveontothenextsectionBeforeYouFilePaperswiththeCourt.(LINK)

LegalGlossary(1stStepSection)

Actionable:Thereisabasisinthelawforyourlawsuit.Anissueisactionablewhenthereare
enoughfactsorcircumstancestomeetthelegalrequirementstofileavalidlawsuit.Ifthefacts
thatarerequiredtoproveacasecannotbetruthfullyallegedinthecomplaintthenthecaseis
notconsidered"actionable."Whetheracaseisactionableisamatterofinterpretation.
Bankruptcy:Acourtprocessdesignedtohelpconsumersandbusinesseseliminatetheirdebts
orrepaythemundertheprotectionofthebankruptcycourt.
Burden of Proof: The job of the plaintiff to convince the judge (or jury) that the plaintiff's
version of the facts is true. There different levels of the burden of proof. In a civil case the
burdenofproofispreponderanceoftheevidence.Thismeansthatover50%ofthebelievable
evidenceisintheplaintiff'sfavor.
Civil Action:alegalproceedinginwhichoneperson(plaintiff)suesanother(defendant)whohas
causedthatpersonaninjuryorloss.Someexamplesofcivilcasesinclude:divorce,childsupport,
contractissuesorhousingissues.
CriminalCases:alegalactionthatusuallyinvolvesapersonbeingchargedwithaviolationof
thecriminalcodeandthecaseisbetweenthestateandaperson.Usually,onlycriminalcases
canresultinjailorprisonpunishment.
Defendant:thepersonthecaseisbroughtagainst.Thepersonsuedinacivillawsuitorthe
personchargedwithacrimeinacriminalprosecution.
Evidence:testimonyofwitnessesanddocumentswhicharepresentedtothecourtand
consideredbythecourtinmakingadecision.
Grounds:thereasonsspecifiedbythelawthatwillserveasabasisfordemandingrelief.
Mediation: process of alternative dispute resolution in which a neutral third party, the
mediator,assiststwoormorepartiesinordertohelpthemnegotiateanagreement.
Plaintiff:thepersonwhostartedthelawsuitbyfilingacomplaint.
ProSe:pronouncedProSay.Representingyourselfincourtwithoutanattorney.
Remedy:Thereareequitable(fair)andlegalremedies.Itisthemeanswithwhichacourtof
law,enforcesarightorimposesapenalty.

4|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

BeforeYouFilePaperswiththeCourt
Whilegoingtocourtisrarelyeasy,evenwithanattorney,theseresourcesmayhelp
prepareyouforsomecommonsituations.Thisseriesismeanttoofferassistanceto
bothplaintiffsanddefendantsthataregoingtocourtwithoutlawyers.Thissections
resources are meant to cover general parts of the court process that involve what
youshouldknowbeforestartingalawsuit.
BeforeYouFileYourCaseandFindingLegalInformation
The first step before filing any forms with the court is to learn about the law that applies to your
situation. We have free legal information about many legal subjects in Online Legal Library. Learning
abouttheareaoflawrelatedtoyoursituationwillhelpyoubetterunderstandwhatyouneedtowrite
inyourpleadings(legalforms)thatyoufilewiththecourt.Forinstance,inadivorcecaseyoumuststate
your grounds for the divorce. Visit our Online Legal Library here or click here for more information
aboutpreparationbeforefilingalawsuit.

PartiesinaLawsuit
Ifyouarethepersonsuing,thenyouarethe"plaintiff".Thepersonyousueiscalledthe"defendant".In
somecases,likeanOrderofProtectionfromanabuser,thepartiesarecalledthepetitionerandthe
respondentandthecomplaintiscalledapetition.Wewillusethetermsplaintiffanddefendant
inthissection.

Whenyousue,youmustfirstdecidewhomtosue.Youcanlistmorethanonedefendant.Ifyouwantto
sueabusiness,youneedtomakesureyoulisttherightname.IfyouaresuingacorporationinArkansas
thenyoucanfindtheofficialnameattheSecretaryofStateswebsiteatwww.sos.arkansas.gov.

For example, Danny hires Paul to build a garage for $2000 and they sign a contract. Paul builds the
garage,butDannyrefusestopay.PaulsuesDannyinSmallClaimscourtPaulisthePlaintiffandDanny
istheDefendant.Ifthegaragewasbuiltforabusiness,PaulmayneedtofindoutifDannywastheright
persontolistastheDefendantandifheshouldlistotherownersorbusiness.

FormsandCourtDocuments
IntheUnitedStates,theCourtsareopentoeachandeveryperson.Althoughthereisnorequirement
thatapersonhavealawyertogotoCourt,youareencouragedtoseealawyertomakesureyouknow
yourrightsandallyourlegaloptionsandtogetthebestresultpossibleinyourcase.Ifyourepresent
yourself,youmustbeprepared.TheArkansasLegalServicesPartnershipdoesnotrecommendthatyou
choose selfrepresentation over hiring a licensed attorney to handle your court case. However, we
understandthefactthatinsomeinstancespeople choosenottohireanattorneyorcannotaffordto
hire one. Representing yourself in court should not be taken lightly, and hiring an attorney is a good
idea.

Whenyoutakeacasetocourt,youmustfilelegaldocumentsthattellthecourtwhatthedisputeisand
whatyouareaskingfor.Bothsidesofacourtcasemayhavetofilemoredocumentsgivingthecourtthe
information it needs to make a decision. There may also be court hearings or a trial where you can
presentwitnessesorpresentyourcaseverbally,butthewrittendocumentsyoufileareacrucialpartof
any case. Without them, there would be no case in court. View our legal forms and court documents
here.Viewourformsatwww.arlegalservices.org/courthelpforms.

5|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

CourtHelpFilingYourPaperswiththeCourt
Beforeaplaintiffcanfileacomplaintwiththecourttheymustfindtherightcourt
in which to file the lawsuit. Sometimes a case may be filed in one of several
courts.Also,dependingonwhattype ofcaseyouhave,therearedifferentrules
aboutwhereyouareallowedtofileit.

There are several different types of courts in the state of Arkansas. It can be
confusing. If you are the defendant to a lawsuit then the court where you are
supposedtorespondshouldbeontheComplaintandthesummonsornoticeof
servicepapersyoureceivedfromthePlaintiff.

Ifyouaretheonebeginningthelawsuit(thePlaintiff)thenitcanbemoreconfusing.Mostofthecases
that we provide materials for will be filed in either the Circuit Court or a District Court located in the
county where you live. Circuit Courts handle most domestic cases (like divorces, child support and
paternity),howeverinsomelocations,aDistrictcourtmayhandlesomedomesticcaseslikerequesting
an Order of Protection from an abuser. The CourtHelp section called Court Types has detailed
informationeachtypeofcourtinArkansasincludingfederalandadministrativeagencies.Viewhelpful
informationaboutlocatingyourcourtat:www.arlegalservices.org/courtcounty.

NextStepsFilingYourPapers
Beforefilinganythingwiththecourtmakesuretoreadoveryourformsandmakesuretheinformation
statedintheformsiscorrectandcomplete.Youmayneedtowriteindatesandthecasenumberon
yourforms.TheCourtClerkwillprovidethecasenumberforyou.

YoumayneedtotaketheComplaint(orPetition)formtoanotarypublicBEFOREyousignit.Thenotary
maychargeyoufornotarizingthecomplaint.Theamountvaries,butisusuallyunder$10.00.Lookin
the phone book to locate a notary. Your bank may also have a free notary available. Remember, a
notarycannotnotarizeacomplaintthatshedidnotseeyousign.

Make3copiesofyourComplaint(orPetition)andtakethecopiesandtheoriginaltotheCountyCircuit
Clerkofficeatyourcourthouse.ThefilingfeefortheComplaintis$165.00(asofDecember2013)and
mustbepaidatthetimethatyoufile.

If you cannot afford to pay the filing fee, then you can file an In Forma Pauperis (IFP) Petition. The
petition, supporting affidavit, and order are at the same website you found this document
(www.arlegalservices.org).YoumustgettheInFormaPauperisOrdersignedbyajudgebeforeyoucan
file your lawsuit without paying the filing fees. If the IFP Petition is granted, the judge will enter an
Orderwaivingyourfilingfee.Takeacopyofthisorderwithyouwhenfilingyourlawsuit.

LegalGlossary(3rdStepSection)
CourtCost/FilingFee:Feesthatthecourtmaychargeoneorbothofthepartiesinalawsuitfor
court expenses. The most common court cost is the filing fee for when you begin a lawsuit.
However, there may be other fees such as charges for serving summons and subpoenas,
transcripts,orcopies.Thewinningpartyinalawsuitmaybeawarded.

CourtClerk:Courtofficialwhokeepscourtrecords,filespleadings,motionsandjudgments,and
providescertifiedcopiesfromtherecords,etc.

6|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

NotifyingtheotherParty

Whatdoesserviceofsummonsmean?
Providing service of summons means that you tell every person who will be
involvedinthecourtproceedingaboutyourlawsuit.However,youhavetotellthe
otherpeopleinacertainway.TheArkansascourtrulesexplainhowyoumusttell(or
notify)theotherpartyorpartiestoyourlawsuit.

Serviceisgivingnoticetodefendantsaboutacourtproceedingortrialdate.Whenyoufileformswith
thecourt,youareconsideredtheplaintiff.Theotherpersonorpeoplenamedinthecourtformsarethe
defendant.Astheplaintiff,ifyoudon'tletthedefendantknowaboutthecourtproceeding,thejudge
candismissyourcase.Forexample,ifyoufilefordivorce,youhavetoletyourspouseknowthatyou've
filedfordivorce.Anotherexampleincludeschangingyourchild'sname.Evenifyoudon'tknowwhere
theotherparentis,youstillhavetoletthemknowthatyou'rechangingyourchild'sname.

Thereisatimelimitforservice.Youhavetogiveservicetothedefendantwithin120days
(approximately4months)afterfilingyourcourtforms.Ifyoudon't,thenthejudgecandismissyour
case.

HowdoIcompleteservice?
Itisyourresponsibility,astheplaintiff,tonotifythedefendantaboutthecourtproceedingbymaking
surethatthedefendantreceivesacopyoftheSummonsandComplaint.Ifyoudonotdothis,thejudge
maydecidetodismissyourcase.Itisveryimportantthatyouunderstandwhenandhowtonotifythe
otherparty,aswellaswhatproofofnotificationyoumustprovidetothecourt.

Servicecanbefulfilledinanumberofways,dependingonwhetheryoudoordonotknowwherethe
otherpartylivesorwhetherthatpersonhasanattorneyrepresentingthem.Thereareafewoptionsfor
howyoucannotifythedefendant.Youmustuseoneoftheseoptionsremember,youcannotsimply
tellthedefendantthatyouhavestartedalegalactionagainsthimorher.

1. Personalservice:aservergivesthecourtpaperstothepartybeingserved
2. Servicebymail:youmailthedocumentstotheotherparty.
3. Servicebypublication:youdon'tknowhowtofindtheotherpartyandpublishthesummons
andcomplaintinanewspaperintheareawheretheotherpartyislikelytobe.

Ifthedefendantisinjail,prison,orothercorrectionalfacility,youhavetogiveacopyofthesummons
andcomplainttotheadministratoroftheinstitution.Thispersonwillgivethecopytothedefendant.

Ifyoudon'tknowwherethedefendantlivesorwheretheyare,youstillhavetoprovetothejudgethat
youcompletedservice.YoucandothisthroughServicebyWarningOrderorServicebyPublication.This
warningorderhastobepublishedweeklyfortwoconsecutiveweeksinanewspaperthatcirculatesin
thecountywhereyoufiledthecourtforms.

You can use our free interactive forms for more information about Service by Publication at
www.arlegalservices.org/service.Ifthecourtgrantedyourfeewaiverrequest(alsoknownasInForma
Pauperis),thenthecourtclerkcanpostthewarningorderfor30daysforyou.

7|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

HowdoIproveservicetothejudge?
Inordertocontinuewithyourcase,youmustprovideprooftothecourtthatyoucompletedserviceand
properlynotifiedthedefendant.Toprovetothejudgethatyou'vecompletedserviceandyoumustfile
theproofwiththecourtclerk.Ifyoudonotmakeproofofservice,thejudgecandismissyourcase.

If service was made by the county sheriff or the sheriff's deputy, then you can get proof by
gettingacertificateofserviceorreturn.
Ifyoumadeservicebymail,thenyouhavetoattachthereturnreceiptandtheenvelopetothe
AffidavitofService.Thisaffidavitisaswornstatementthatyoufilewiththecourtthatsaysthat
you'veprovidedservicetothedefendant.
This proof has to be given to the court clerk within 120 days (approximately 4 months) after
filingyourcourtforms.Ifyoudon't,thenyourcasecanbedismissed.

Learnmoreatwww.arlegalservices.org/service.

LegalGlossary(4thStepSection)
Complaint:thefirstdocumentfiledwiththecourtclerktostartalawsuitbyapersonor
businessclaiminglegalrightsagainstanother.
Counterclaim:thedefendant'sclaimagainsttheplaintiff.
Crossclaim:whenonedefendantsuesafellowdefendantbecauseheorshebelievesthefellow
defendantisliableforallorpartofthemoneytheplaintiffclaimsbothdefendantsowe.
Decision:theresultreachedbyacourtinresolvingadisputebeforeit.
Decree:ingeneral,itisthesameasajudgment.SeeJudgment.
DefaultJudgment:ajudgmentinfavoroftheplaintiffwhenthedefendantfailstoappear.
Filing:givingtheClerkofCourtyourlegalpapers.
InFormaPauperis:(informahpawpurriss)theformsfiledbyaplaintiffwhocannotafford
courtcosts.Ifgranted,thejudgewillallowthelawsuittocontinuewithoutpayingofcourtcosts.
NotaryPublic:apersonauthorizedbythestatetogiveoaths.
Oath:aswearingtotellthetruth,whichwouldsubjecttheoathtakertoliabilityforperjuryif
sheknowinglytoldalie.
Perjury:Thecrimeofintentionallylyingaftertakinganoathtotellthetruthbyanotarypublic,
courtclerkorotherofficial.
ProcessServer:anypersonover18,notdirectlyinvolvedinthecase,whowilldeliverthe
SummonsandacopyoftheplaintiffsComplaint,andlaterreturntotheCourtanaffidavitthat
heorshehascompletedservice.
Service:providingacopyofthepapersbeingfiledtotheotherside
Summons:anoticerequiringadefendanttoappearincourt.
Venue:thecountywherethecaseisheard.Theproperlocationforthetrial.
WritofSummons:aformissuedbythecourtdirectingapartytorespondtoacomplaint,
motion,orpetition.

8|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

Preparing and Presenting your Case in Court

Nomatterhowstrongofacaseyouhave,ifyoudonotfollowtheproperprocedures
whileinfrontofthejudge,youwilllikelylose.Itisthereforeimportanttoknowhow
toprepareforcourt,howtopresentyourcasetothejudge,andwhatfollowupyou
needtodoafteryourcourtdate.Theseareonlyguidelinescertaintypesofcases
willrequireadditionalproceduresandpreparation.

PreparingforCourt
ReadallCourtPapers:Besureyouunderstandwhateachcourtdocumentsaysandhowtheotherside
hasresponded.Itishelpfultobrainstormyourresponsestoanyissuestheothersidementions.

DoubleChecktheCourthouseLocation:Makesureyouknowexactlyhowtogettothecourthouseand
whereyoucanpark

VisittheCourt:Ifpossible,trytogoandobserveahearingwiththesamejudgethatwillbepresiding
overyourcase.Thiswillhelpyoubetterunderstandwhattoexpectwhenyougobeforethejudgewith
yourcase.

ChildCare:Onceacourtdateisset,attempttogetsomeonetowatchyourchildrenathomesothatyou
willnotbedistractedwhileincourt.Ifthatisnotpossible,bringanadultwithyouwhocanwatchthe
childrenoutsideofthecourtroomwhileyouareinfrontofthejudge.

PreparingEvidence
Whenpreparingtogotocourt,itisnecessarytoassemblealloftheinformationthatmighthelpfulto
proveyourcase.Thisinformation,inlegalterms,iscalledevidence.Therearethreemaintypesof
evidence that you can present in court: exhibits (things); witness testimony (people); and affidavits
(swornstatementsbywitnesseswhocannotbeincourt)
Witness Testimony: This includes the parties involved in the lawsuit, anyone who has relevant
information about the case, people who keep relevant records, and any experts who are qualified to
givetheiropinionsaboutthesubjectofyourcase.Onceyouknowwhichwitnessesyouwanttotestify,
besuretosetasidesometimetohelpthempreparefortheirtestimony.Todothis,askthequestions
thatyouintendtoaskincourt,aswellasquestionsthatyouanticipatetheothersidemightask.

Exhibits:Theseincludedocuments,objects,photographs,medicalrecords,policereports,etc.,thatare
helpfulinprovingyourcase.Onceyouhavecompiledallofyourexhibits,besuretoorganizethemso
thatyoucaneasilyfindwhatyouarelookingforwheninfrontofthejudgeitiseasytogetflustered
andnervouswheninthecourtroom,sothemoreorganizedyouareaheadoftimethebetter,

Affidavits: An affidavit is a statement made under oath that courts will acceptin certain casesin
place of requiring a person to testify in court. The actual documents are called depositions and they
mustbenotarizedbyanofficialnotaryinordertobeacceptedbythecourt.Themostcommontypesof
casesthatallowaffidavitsareuncontesteddivorcecasesinwhichyourspousehasbeennotifiedofyour
desire for a divorce but has failed to respond. If that is the situation in your case, the following two
depositionsorswornaffidavitsmaybeallowedinplaceofinpersontestimony.

9|P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

Witness Deposition in an Uncontested Divorce Case: Under Arkansas law, a witness must
providetestimonytoconfirm(1)thatyouarearesidentofthestateofArkansas,and(2)that
youarecurrentlyseparatedfromyourspouse.Normallythistestimonyisofferedbybringinga
witnesswithyoutoyourcourtdate.However,ifyourwitnessisunavailabletocomewithyou
on your court date, you can have the witness fill out a deposition, like this one, have it
notarized,andbringitwithyoutocourt.

Party Deposition in an Uncontested Divorce Case: Some judges will allow what is called a
divorce by deposition, meaning that you are not required to go to court to receive your
divorce.Ifyourjudgepermitsthis,youneedtohaveyourwitnessfilloutthewitnessdeposition
(described above) and you also need to fill out what is called a party deposition. The party
depositionisyourswornstatementastothegroundsfordivorceyouareseeking.Youcanfind
the form here. However, because not all judges allow for a divorce by deposition it is very
importantthatyoucallthetrialcourtassistantforyourjudgeandfindoutifyoucansendthem
thewitnessandpartydepositionsratherthangoingtocourtyourself.

ChecklistforPresentingyourCase

WhentoArrive:Besuretoarriveatleast15minutesearlysothatyoucanfindyourcourtroomandbe
ontime.

WhattoWear:Imaginethatyouaregoingtoajobinterview.Inotherwords,trytodressinbusiness
casualattire.Besuretowearshirtswithsleevesandclosedtoeshoes.Mostimportantly,hereiswhat
youshouldNOTwear:

Flipflops/sandals

Clothingwithholesortearsinthem

Hats/Caps

Shortshortsorskirts

Tanktopsorhaltertops

Revealingclothingingeneral

Tshirtsorsweatshirtswithlogos

HowtoAct:Theimpressionyoumakewhileinthecourtroomcanhaveeitherapositiveornegative
effectonyourcase.Remember,youwantthejudgetoruleinyourfavor,sobeasrespectfulasyoucan.
Herearesomegeneralguidelinestoconsider:

Donotbringacellphone,pager,oranyotherelectronicdeviceintothecourtroom

Ifpossible,donotbringyourchildrentocourt.Ifyouhavenootheroption,besuretobring
someonewhocanwatchthemforyououtsideofthecourtroom.

Sitinthewaitingareaofthecourtroomuntilyourcaseiscalled

Donotchewgum

Donotyell,curseoruseimproperlanguage

10 | P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

When your case is called: When your case is called you should approach the bench and introduce
yourself.Whenspeakingtothejudge,refertohimorherasyourhonor.Thefollowingaretipsfor
howtobestpresentyourselfandyourcaseinarespectfulmanner:

Speakclearlyandavoidrambling

Alwaysspeaktothejudge,nottheotherparty

Neverinterruptthejudgeortheotherparty,unlessyouareobjecting

Bringanydocumentsorevidenceyouhavewithyouwhenyouapproachthebenchbeas
organized as you can so that the correct documents are easily accessible whenever you
needthem

Presenting your case: Assume that the judge does not have any knowledge of the facts of your case
whenyoupresentyourcase.Ifpossible,presentyourcaseinchronologicalorderandonlydiscussfacts
thatarerelevanttothereasonwhyyouareincourtgettoyourpointandsticktoyourpoint.Ifthe
otherpartyobjectswhileyouarepresentingyourcase,stoptalkingandwaitforthejudgetoruleonthe
objectionbeforecontinuingwithyourpresentation.

Whentheothersideispresentinghisorhercase:Asageneralrule,remainsilentwhiletheotherparty
ispresentinghisorhercase.Donotinterruptorarguewithawitnessortheotherpartyunlessyouare
makinganofficialobjectiontothetestimonybeingoffered.

Objecting:Ifyouwishtomakeanobjectiontosomethingthatawitnessortheotherpartyis
saying,simplystateobjectionandthenexplaintothejudgethereasonyouareobjecting.
Ifthejudgedoesnotruleinyourfavor,donotarguewhatthejudgesaysisfinal.

CrossExamining:Ifyouwishtocrossexamineawitness,youmustaskquestionsdirectlyto
the witnessdo not make general statements to the judge. Also, be sure to wait for the
witnesstofinishrespondingbeforeaskinganotherquestion.Rememberthatthereisarisk
inposingaquestiontoawitnesswhenyoudonotknowhowthewitnesswillrespond.Take
thatintoconsiderationwhendecidingwhatquestionsyouwanttoaskeachwitness.

Hearsay: In general, a witness can only testify to things that he or she said or saw.
Therefore,therearecertaintypesoftestimonythatajudgewillnotallowawitnesstostate
incourt.Oneofthemostcommonexamplesofforbiddentestimonyiscalledhearsay.In
general, hearsay testimony occurs when a witness attempts to describe what another
personsaidatanearlierpointintime.Thereasoncourtsdonotallowtestimonylikethisis
becauseitislessreliablethantestimonyaboutwhatthewitnesspersonallysaidorsaw.Itis
importantthatyouunderstandwhathearsayissothatyoucanhelpyourwitnessesprepare
fortheirtestimonyincourt.Also,youcanobjecttoanyhearsaythatawitnessfortheother
sideattemptstostatewhentestifying.

Concluding:Attheconclusionofeverytrial,thejudgewillgiveeachsideachancetobrieflyexplainwhat
theyareaskingthecourttodo.Besureyoutellthejudgeexactlywhatyouwantthejudgetodothis
isyourlastopportunitytogetthecourttoruleinyourfavor.

Learnmoreatwww.arlegalservices.org/preparingforcourt.

11 | P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

AfterCourt:WinorLose
Ajudgmentisadecisionmadebyacourtfollowingalawsuit.ATherearemanytypesofdecisions,or
orders,thatacourtmaymake.Therealsosomestepsyoumayneedtotakeafteradecisionhasbeen
madebythecourt.Sometypesoforders(alsosometimescalledDecrees)aredescribedbelow.

TypesofJudgments/Decrees

AgreedOrder(mayalsobecalledaConsentDecree):Thisisafinalbindingjudgmentinacasein
whichbothpartiesagree,byagreement,toaparticularoutcome.Notethateveniftheparties
agreethatthejudgealsohastoagree.
Default Judgment: this isa binding judgment in favor of the plaintiff when the defendant has
notrespondedtoasummons
Summary Judgment: this is a legal term which means that a court has made a determination
withoutafulltrial.

Paperwork:Thereisalwayspaperworkthatmustbefilledoutandfiledwiththecourtafteracaseis
heard.Thispaperworkusuallyconsistsofwhatiscalledanorder.Anorderisadocumentdescribing
howthejudgehasruledinacaseandwhatfurtheractions,ifany,mustbetaken.Ordersmustalways
besignedbyajudgedonotleavethecourtuntilyourorderissigned(unlessinstructedbythecourt).
Also,besureyoufiletheorderwiththecourt.Ifyouareunsurewheretofiletheorder,simplyaskthe
courtclerk.

Appeals: Once you have received a final judgment from the court then it is subject to appeal.
Whetherornottoappealadecisionnotinyourfavorcanbeacomplexissue.Anappealisalegalaction
wherethelosingpartyrequeststhatahighercourtreviewthedecision.Itisaprocessforrequestinga
formalchangetoanofficialcourtdecisionfromthetriallevel.TherearetwoappealscourtsinArkansas.
Thesetwocourtsare:theArkansasSupremeCourt;andtheArkansasCourtofAppeals.Atthetrialcourt
levelthepartiestoalawsuitarenormallycalledtheplaintifforthedefendant.However,thetermsfor
thepartieschangewhenacaseisappealedtoahighercourt:theappellantandappellee.

WhattypesofCasesareappealed?
TheArkansasCourtofAppealshandlesmanyoftheappealsinArkansas;however,therearesomecases
thatareappealedfirsttoSupremeCourt.CasesinvolvingthefollowingissuesarefiledintheSupreme
CourtofArkansas:
AppealsinvolvingtheinterpretationorconstructionoftheConstitutionofArkansas
Criminalappealswherethedeathpenaltyorlifeimprisonmenthasbeenimposed
Appealsaboutelectionsandelectionprocedures
AppealsaboutdisciplineofattorneysandhowtheSupremeCourtregulatesthepracticeoflaw
Appealsaboutthedisciplineanddisabilityofjudges
Second(orlaterappeals)aftertheappealhasalreadybeendecidedintheSupremeCourt
Petitionsforquowarranto,prohibition,injunction,ormandamusdirectedtothestate,county,
ormunicipalofficialsortocircuitcourts
AppealsrequiredbylawtobeheardbytheCourt

Learnmoreatwww.arlegalservices.org/courttype.

12 | P a g e

Arkansas Legal Services Partnership

Publications for Access to Justice

Disclaimer:ArkansasLegalServicesPartnershippresentstheinformationonthiswebsiteasaserviceto
lowincomepeopleandotherInternetusers,includingmembersofthegeneralpublic.Useofthissite
does not constitute, in any manner, an attorneyclient relationship between Arkansas Legal Services
Partnershipandthereceiver.

While the information on this site is about legal issues, it is not intended as legal advice or as a
substitute for the particularized advice of your own counsel. People seeking specific legal advice or
assistanceshouldcontactanattorney,eitherbyusingthesitetolocatelegalassistanceinyourcounty,
oranothersource.

ThecontentofanyInternetemailsenttoArkansasLegalServicesPartnershiporanyofitslawyersat
theemailaddresssetforthinthiswebsitewillnotcreateanattorneyclientrelationshipandwillnotbe
treatedasconfidential.Transmittalofinformationfromthiswebsite,oranyuseofelectronicmail,isnot
intended to create or establish an attorneyclient relationship between Arkansas Legal Services
Partnershipandanyoneelse.

Thispublicationisprovidedasiswithoutwarrantyofanykind,eitherexpressorimplied,including,but
not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non
infringement.

This publication could include inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes are periodically added to
theinformationherein;thesechangeswillbeincorporatedintoneweditionstothispublication.

Statements or expressions of opinion herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of
ArkansasLegalServicesPartnership,CenterforArkansasLegalServices,LegalAidofArkansas,ourstaff
orBoardofTrustees.

Learnmoreat:www.arlegalservices.org

13 | P a g e