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🏠 Housing & Rent

Eviction, landlord disputes, deposits, repairs

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Arkansas Legal Resource Navigator · Lafayette County · Stage not selected

My landlord is trying to evict me

Eviction routes can have very short response periods. A call to a provider or a complaint does not extend them. Do not assume the ordinary civil answer period applies.

No personal case facts or dates are requested or stored by this selector.
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Qualifications & requirements

Source-backed qualifications and preparation information for all 15 topics, usable across all 75 Arkansas counties with the existing county routes. This is partial coverage, not an eligibility decision. Current income limits, program exceptions, local intake, funding and individual facts require confirmation. No professional legal review is recorded.

No specific qualifications profile is mapped to this situation yet. Use the linked program or receiving office to confirm eligibility, documents and exceptions before applying.

Forms, timing and where to file

Check that this filing path fits your actual papers and your role.

Match the procedure, your role and the actual papers before using a period or form. No personal due date is calculated. Current rules, service, exceptions and local filing requirements need confirmation.

Respond to a filed possession case

Your next steps

  1. Identify the court, case number and statutory route on the summons and possession notice.
  2. Prepare a written objection addressing the possession claim; obtain prompt legal help with separate defenses or money claims.
  3. File the objection with the clerk of the court where the case is pending and deliver a copy as required, including to the landlord's lawyer.
  4. Keep accepted filing and service evidence and attend the actual scheduled hearing.

What forms or applications do I need?

How much time do I have, and when must I file?

Published period — confirm applicability

Period: Five days, excluding Sundays and legal holidays, under the cited unlawful-detainer provision.

What starts the clock: Following service of the summons, complaint and notice seeking a writ of possession under Ark. Code 18-60-307(b).

What to do: File a written objection with the case's clerk immediately and send a copy to the landlord's lawyer.

Exceptions and checks: The AG summary says after receipt of summons; the cited enacted text specifies service of summons, complaint and possession notice. Do not substitute an ordinary civil answer period or assume Saturdays are excluded. Verify current law and any separate money claims.

Authority: Ark. Code Ann. 18-60-307(b), enacted text in Act 414 of 2023; AG route summary · Arkansas Act 414 of 2023: unlawful-detainer objection ↗

Where and how do I file?

Receiving office: Clerk of the court named in the pending eviction case

Submission method: Clerk-accepted paper filing or participating-court eFlex as confirmed by that clerk; copy/service is separate.

Jurisdiction and venue: The pending property-possession case controls, not the tenant's new residence.

Lafayette County check: For all 75 Arkansas counties, confirm the actual receiving office and venue before filing. County of residence alone does not establish jurisdiction. Confirm current hours, accepted delivery, electronic access, fees or waiver options, and proof of acceptance or service.

Confirm the circuit court and venue before using this county contact ↗

Lafayette County circuit clerk directory contact: Dana Phillips · 870-921-4878 · 3rd & Spruce Streets, Lewisville, AR 71845. Confirm physical location, division and accepted delivery; a directory contact does not establish venue.

Before you submit: Verify signatures, attachments, current form edition, fees or fee-waiver process, service requirements, and whether the office must receive or accept the filing by the deadline. Keep the accepted copy or receipt and follow up on rejected submissions. A referral or phone call does not extend a separate deadline.

Limits: A rental-assistance or AG complaint is not an objection or court appearance.

Official sources and capture status
agency_guidance · statewide

Arkansas AG landlord and tenant rights ↗

Distinguish possession routes, notices and deposit requirements.

Agency summary; actual case papers and current law control.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: f768d21aa8691281978ac65a77150d6e5cca2ff60c6a3f8d1a0251ea27876825

official_directory · statewide

Circuit clerk directory ↗

Locate the clerk for the actual circuit case or property.

Directory does not decide venue or legal sufficiency.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: d13b64ffa9cdf6643215629a9658497b36e079bbe6c9c160a0639d2a3b099f47

official_directory · statewide

Arkansas Judiciary court forms ↗

Obtain current cover sheets and listed court forms.

A form directory is not a complete pleading packet for every case.

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Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: 1aa02064191b7b0185cb3f4f599da0dd509ca3c58e1f53d4585429a5f039ff29

official_instructions · statewide

Arkansas eFlex filing instructions ↗

Explain participating-court electronic submission.

Check court participation, account access and self-represented filing arrangements.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: cd0adf614b9011d4d1be5e31deffb0d9a7a566f9390ac2d5a4ae8bda09d44e6c

enacted_statute · statewide

Arkansas Act 414 of 2023: unlawful-detainer objection ↗

Enacted text of Ark. Code 18-60-307(b), including service trigger and excluded Sundays/legal holidays.

Enacted 2023 text; verify subsequent amendments and actual case route. No calendar deadline is calculated.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: dabd629bf31fb8eb60d74f2ce7388a1a8d1ae1b6be58662fb8bfb4a4ee7ca19f

What to do next

  1. Keep the notice, envelope and every court paper; record how and when each arrived.
  2. Identify whether this is a demand, termination notice or filed court case. Read any hearing and response instructions immediately.
  3. Contact civil legal aid promptly and ask the named court how to file a response; retain proof of filing and service.
  4. Prepare to ask: Is this a private lease, subsidized tenancy, mortgage, or housing-program decision?
  5. Identify the exact case title and court from the papers rather than assuming every eviction follows one procedure.
  6. Separate a possession demand, a money claim and a subsidy decision; each may require a different response.
  7. Ask the clerk about accepted filing mechanics and keep stamped or electronic proof, while a lawyer advises what the response should say.

How this process works

Who handles this issue

The court named in the filed papers decides the possession case; legal aid can assess the tenancy and defense route.

Before you start

Determine whether the property is private, subsidized or subject to another program and whether a case has actually been filed.

Filing or application route

Use the named court's accepted filing method after obtaining advice about the appropriate response; a provider application is not a court filing.

What happens next

Track accepted filings and the court's actual orders while continuing housing and legal-help inquiries.

When to get qualified help

Seek help immediately for filed papers, lockout threats or an approaching appearance; no deadline is calculated here.

Confirm for your county

Available in every Arkansas county. Confirm the actual case's court or responsible office and its accepted filing, service and hearing methods; the selected county is context, not a verified local procedural rule.

Choose the path that fits

  • Is this only a landlord notice or a filed court case?
  • What exact possession procedure do the papers identify?

Check these points in the source

Documents to gather

Keep originals secure. Use copies and redact sensitive details when sharing.

Checks are temporary and reset when this page is reloaded.

Questions to ask before acting

  • Is this only a landlord notice or a filed court case?
  • What exact possession procedure do the papers identify?
  • Are money or subsidy issues separate?
  • Who must receive my response and how do I prove delivery?
  • What is the response method and deadline in my actual papers, and can I request language help, disability access or a fee waiver?

Arkansas rental rules differ by issue and housing program. Review the lease, notice, applicable law and court papers before acting.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Do not assume an ordinary civil answer period applies.
  • Do not assume rent assistance or a landlord conversation pauses court.
  • Do not abandon a scheduled hearing while waiting for legal aid.

Before filing, applying or traveling in Lafayette County

  • Identify the actual court, division, agency or provider from your papers. Your home county alone may not determine the correct venue or office.
  • Confirm accepted submission methods, current forms, required attachments, fees or waiver options, and any separate service or notice requirement with the responsible office.
  • Read the dates and instructions on the actual notice. Keep delivery records, accepted submission receipts and the next appointment or hearing information.
  • Ask early about an interpreter, disability accommodations, a safe contact method, remote participation or travel needs. Confirm who receives the request.
  • For representation, ask about issue coverage, income rules, conflicts and intake capacity. A referral or application does not mean a lawyer has accepted the case.

Official court directories · Court form catalog · Electronic filing instructions · Court language access · Arkansas Legal Aid intake

These shared checks apply across all 75 counties. They are preparation questions, not confirmation of a particular local procedure. Court filing and agency applications use separate systems.
Shared source capture status

https://arcourts.gov/directories: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: 150f4f042f9e715659d03ae5bff81fa0fb097795310f7714c110f42e9eb18d92

https://arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: 1aa02064191b7b0185cb3f4f599da0dd509ca3c58e1f53d4585429a5f039ff29

https://arcourts.gov/administration/acap/efile/efile-instructions: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: de780b7949c7991de59fa33f46c7de7ca4394ed34a79d3d068d4761c887ba4ea

https://arcourts.gov/administration/interpreters: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: f39d6c3a846022b093f3f49d51bf474e4c8d54f43ae231257b8c4c0d9c85fe1e

https://arlegalaid.org/: Retrieved 2026-10-12 UTC.

SHA-256: 6c9264011081839649029bf35a6914f927d0d05e69ebaed0c0fe3642eb3ede92

Captured pages support navigation and source checking. They do not establish legal review or current intake.

Resources for this situation

Official agency · Arkansas statewide

Arkansas Attorney General: landlord and tenant information ↗

Start reviewing Arkansas rental issues, then check applicable law and your actual lease.

Agency overview, not complete law. Subsidized housing and particular facts can change the rules.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: 32b9f4efc64760167ac5f8cf9ad6cd29458f4b2e3af605ddea6626f9c0131585

Nonprofit legal service · Arkansas statewide

Legal Aid of Arkansas intake ↗

Request screening for civil legal assistance or referral.

Intake determines geographic coverage, income, case priorities, conflicts and capacity; representation is not guaranteed.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: 59ba4e12e169963f93936f278fbce347157dfda5d7ba4a6777329253de5fb822

Nonprofit legal information · Arkansas statewide

Arkansas Law Help ↗

Read Arkansas self-help information and find civil legal-aid application routes.

Self-help information is not representation. Legal-aid intake screens eligibility, case priorities and capacity.

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Automated retrieval could not verify this page (HTTP 403). Check the official website directly.

Official agency · Arkansas statewide

Arkansas Judiciary court forms ↗

Review official forms and instructions; confirm the correct case type and local requirements.

Confirm current instructions, eligibility, jurisdiction and availability directly.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: d8885e0ecc970b538ad5681393a9cb3d1b5df7f56fa4ead3ad44c744291e8fb3

Official agency · Arkansas statewide

Arkansas circuit clerk directory ↗

Find the clerk for an existing circuit-court case; ask about filing methods, copies, fees and accessibility.

Confirm current instructions, eligibility, jurisdiction and availability directly.

Source and review status

Editorially selected navigation source. Guidance has not been professionally reviewed.

Page retrieved 2026-10-12 (UTC). Retrieval does not confirm current law, eligibility or intake availability.

SHA-256: 0b4c5ee03ef79799dd047b549a848c074df2d2a6b1ad74750b926b17a177b8dc

General legal information and navigation, not legal advice. No deadline, eligibility, representation or outcome is determined here. Check current official instructions and your actual papers. Editorial guidance date: 2026-10-12. Draft navigation content; not professionally reviewed.

General legal information and navigation, not legal advice. No deadline, eligibility, representation or outcome is determined here. Check current official instructions and your actual papers.