Bill > HB1959

This bill modernizes the process for reviving an outstanding legal judgment in Arkansas by eliminating the complex traditional method of using a writ of scire facias (a formal legal notice requiring a party to appear in court and show cause why a legal action should not proceed) and replacing it with a simpler notice-based system. Under the new process, a judgment creditor can revive an outstanding judgment by filing a notice with specific details, including the names of the judgment debtor and creditor, the court and case number, the current balance of the judgment, and a statement of intent to maintain the judgment lien. The notice must be served via first-class mail to the judgment debtor's last known address, or posted at the courthouse if the debtor's whereabouts are unknown. The bill maintains the existing ten-year time limit for reviving a judgment and allows for the judgment lien to be continued by recording the notice in other counties. Additionally, the bill establishes a $20 filing fee for submitting a notice of outstanding judgment and clarifies that such a revival will not incur a reopening fee in circuit courts, thereby streamlining and reducing the cost of the judgment revival process.

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https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=hb1959&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R