Small claims

A simplified division of district court for money disputes up to $5,000, designed to be used without a lawyer.

Limit: $5,000, excluding interest and costs. Administrative Order 18 § 4, read with § 3. The $25,000 figure for regular civil cases does not apply here.
Lawyers: Administrative Order 18 § 4 restricts attorney representation in the small claims division. That is the point of the division — it is built to be used without one.
Who cannot file: Section 4 also bars collection agencies and assignees of a claim, and limits filings by corporations other than closely held ones.
Procedure: District Court Rule 10. The claim is filed with the clerk on a prescribed form, and the defendant has thirty days to answer.

Who hears small claims in Benton County

Under the administrative plan, Judge Anglin takes small claims arising in Divisions 1, 3 and 4 — so a Rogers small claims case is heard by him, not by the judge who hears Rogers criminal and traffic cases. Judge Bunch takes small claims arising in Division 2.

Small claims docket days

From the county's administrative plan, effective 1 January 2026.

Rogers District Court	4th Thursday — small claims, 9:00 a.m.
Bentonville District Court	2nd Thursday — small claims, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Friday — criminal and traffic, with civil or small claims overflow, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Siloam Springs District Court	2nd Tuesday — small claims and civil, 10:00 a.m.
Benton County West District Court	1st Wednesday — civil and small claims, 1:00 p.m.
Cave Springs District Court	Civil and small claims trials are scheduled as needed.
Pea Ridge District Court	Civil and small claims trials are scheduled as needed.
Bella Vista District Court	Civil and small claims trials are scheduled as needed.

Courts not listed schedule small claims trials as needed. The Rogers docket is the one Judge Anglin travels to.

No small claims magistrate in Benton County

Administrative Order 18 § 7 lets a circuit's administrative judge designate an attorney as a Small Claims Magistrate, on the request of a majority of the district judges. The Benton County plan provides that if the Quorum Court funds one, these cases go to that magistrate instead. As of September 2026 no such funding has been made and no addendum appointing a magistrate has been filed, so small claims remain with the judges above.

Sources: Arkansas Supreme Court — Administrative Order No. 18 (opens in a new tab)Arkansas Judiciary — Benton County administrative plan (opens in a new tab)Arkansas Judiciary — Arkansas Court Structure (opens in a new tab)

Last reviewed: September 16, 2026