Hiring a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Arkansas
Who can bring a wrongful death claim in Arkansas, the deadline, limits on damages, how lawyers usually charge (contingency fees), how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Arkansas: fee rules
| If a lawyer takes your money | Arkansas has a Client Security Fund overseen by the Arkansas Supreme Court's Client Security Fund Committee, whose members are appointed by the Court; the Administrative Office of the Courts (625 Marshall Street, Little Rock; 501-682-9400) is the listed contact. |
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Arkansas rules to know first
| Who can sue | The personal representative of the person who died brings the action; if there is none, the heirs at law bring it. The beneficiaries are the surviving spouse, children, father, mother, brothers and sisters, plus people who stood in the place of a parent to the deceased (or to whom the deceased stood in the place of a parent). The recovery is not subject to the deceased person's debts. The statute also covers the death of an unborn child, with exceptions such as legal abortion and fault of the pregnant woman. Read on a FindLaw mirror of the Arkansas Code. |
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| Deadline to file | A wrongful death lawsuit must be filed within three years after the death. If the defendant was convicted of capital murder or first- or second-degree murder, the suit may be filed within the time allowed for bringing a murder charge. If the case is dismissed without prejudice (nonsuit), it may be refiled within one year. Read on a FindLaw mirror of the Arkansas Code. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-62-102(c) |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Arkansas Bar Association runs ArkansasFindALawyer, an online directory you can search by name, firm, city, postal code (within a set distance) or area of practice. The bar's page does not describe it as a referral service and states no consultation fee. The bar's general line is 501-375-4606. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Arkansas Judiciary's online Attorney Search lets you look up lawyers by last name, first name, city, ZIP code or bar number; attorney rosters are also posted. The site says its information is not the official record kept by the Clerk of the Courts and directs users to the Clerk's Office at (501) 682-6849 to verify. Rosters: https://attorneyinfo.aoc.arkansas.gov/roster |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Arkansas lawyers are handled by the Office of Professional Conduct of the Arkansas Supreme Court (Administrative Office of the Courts), One Capitol Mall, Suite 3D-101, Little Rock, AR 72201-1049; phone 501-376-0313 or toll-free 800-506-6631. File using the office's grievance form (printable for mailing or fillable for emailing). Disciplinary decisions are posted online, and paper copies are available from the Clerk of the Courts at $0.50 per page. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Aid of Arkansas is the LSC-funded legal aid organization for Arkansas and provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income people. The Arkansas Bar Association also points people to Arkansas Access to Justice (arkansasjustice.org), Arkansas Free Legal Answers (ar.freelegalanswers.org) and Arkansas Law Help (arlawhelp.org) for free legal information and help. Bar legal assistance page: https://www.arkbar.com/?pg=LegalAssistance |
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.