Case Title: In re Proposed Amendments to Ark. R. Civ. P (Per Curiam)

Citation: 2017 Ark. 241

Docket Number: 2017-ark-241

State: arkansas

Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

Date: 2017-09-07T00:00:00Z

Document:
Cite as 2017 Ark. 241
SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS

‘Opinion etre September 7, 2017

IN RE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO.
‘THE ARKANSAS RULES OF CIVIL
PROCEDURE

 

PER CURIAM

In response to a request from the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission, the
Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Civil Practice has approved amendments to Rules
11 and 64 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure, as well as adoption of new Role 87,
These proposed changes concern limited scope representation by attorneys. We have
reviewed the suggested amendments, and we now publish them for comment from the
bench, bar, and public. Comments should be made in writing on or before October 6, 2017,
and they should be addressed to: Stacey Pectol, Clerk, Supreme Court of Arkansas, Att.:

Civil Procedure Rules, Justice Building, 625 Marshall Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

 

‘The proposed changes are set out below in “line-in, line-out” fashion (new material is

underlined; deleted material is lined through).

 
Cite as 2017 Ark. 241

Rule 11, Signing of Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Sanctions.

(0) Signature

{) Every pleading, written motion, and other paper of a party represented by an
attorney shall be signed by at least one attomey of record in his or her individual name,
whose address shall be stated.

Q) A self-represented person party-who-i-not-represented-by-an-attorney shall sign
his or her pleading, motion, or other paper and state his or her address and telephone
number, if any. Anattorney may drafi.or help to drafi_a pleading. motion, or other paper
atcomey need noc sign that pleading, motion, or other paper.

‘G) Except when otherwise specifically provided by rule or statute, pleadings need
not be verified or accompanied by afiavit,

(©) Cenifcat.
{C) The signature of an attomey or party constitutes a certificate by the signatory that
to the best of his or her knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry
reasonable under the circumstances:
+4} (A) the pleading, motion, or other paper is not interposed for any improper
‘purpose, such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of
litigation;
2} (B) the claims, defenses, and other legal contentions are warranted by
‘existing law or by a nonftivolous argument for extending, modifying, or reversing,
existing law or for establishing new law;
{8} (C) the factual contentions have evidentiary support:
443 (D) the denials of factual contentions are warranted on the evidence or, if
specifically so identified, are reasonably based on belief or a lack of information;
45} (E) when a party's claim or affirmative defense may only be established in
‘whole or in part by expert testimony, the party has consulted with at least one expert,
or has learned in discovery of the opinion of atleast one expert, who (j) is believed
to be competent under Ark. R. Evid. 702 to express an opinion in the action and
(i) concludes on the bass ofthe available information that there isa reasonable basis
to assert the claim or affirmative defense; and
{6} (E) the pleading, motion, or other paper complies with the requirements
of Rule 5(€)(2) regarding redaction of confidential information from case records
submitted to the court.

she attomey has reason to believe that such arepresentacion js false or materially insufficient,

 

 
Cite as 2017 Ark. 241

(© Sanctions

(1) Ifa pleading, motion, or other paper is not signed, it shall be stricken unles ic is
signed promptly after the omission is called to the attention of the pleader or movant. Ifa
pleading, motion, or other paper is signed in violation of this rue, the court, upon motion
fr upon its own initiative, shall impose upon any attorney or party who violated this rule
an appropriate sanction.

(@) Sanctions that may be imposed for violations of this rule include, but are not
limited to

(A) an order dismissing a claim or action;

(B) an order striking a pleading or motion;

(©) an order entering judgment by default;

{D) an order to pay to the other party or parties the amount of the reasonable
expenses incurred because of the filing of the pleading, motion, or other paper,
including a reasonable attorney's fee;

(B) an order to pay a penalty to the court;

(P) an order awarding damages attributable to the delay or misconduct;

(G) an order referring an attomney to the Supreme Court Committee on
Professional Conduct or the appropriate disciplinary body of another state
) The court’s order imposing a sanction shall describe the sanctioned conduct and

‘explain the basis for the sanction, Ifa monetary sanction is imposed, the order shall explain
how it was determined.

(4) The court shall not impose a monetary sanction against @ represented party for
violating subdivision (b)(1}(B) $}2}, on its own initiative, unless it issued the show-cause
order under subdivision (€)(6) before voluntary dismissal oF settlement of the claims made
by or against the parey that i, or whose attorneys are, to be sanctioned.

(6) A motion for sanctions under this rule shall be made separately from other
‘motions or requests and shall describe the specific conduct alleged to violate subdivision (b).
It shall be served as provided in Rule 5 but shall not be filed with or presented to the court
unless, within 21 days after service of the motion, or such other period as the court may
prescribe, the challenged paper, claim, defense, contention, allegation, or denial is not
withdrawn or appropriately corrected. If warranted, the court may award to the party
prevailing on the motion the reasonable expenses and attomey’s fees incurred in presenting
6 opposing the motion.

(6) On its own initiative, the court may order an attorney or party to show cause
why conduct specifically described in the order has not violated subdivision (b). The order
shall afford the atomney or party a reasonable time to respond, but not less than 14 days.

 

Reporter’s Notes (20): This rule was amended following adoption of Rule 1.2(¢) of the
Arkansas Rules of Profesional Conduct that permits limited scope representation.
Specifically subdivisions (3)(2) and (b)(2) were added, and subsections were redesignated as
appropriate.

 
Cite as 2017 Ark. 241

Rule 64. Addition and Withdrawal of Counsel.

{@) When additional counsel is employed to represent any party in a case, said counsel shall
immediately cause the clerk to enter his or her name 2s an attomey of record in the case
and shall also immediately notify the court and opposing counsel that he or she has been
employed in the case.

(&) Except as provided in Ark. R. Civ, P. 87, aA lawyer may not withdraw from any
proceeding or from representation of any party t0 a proceeding without permission of the
Court in which the proceeding is pending, Permission to withdraw may be granted for good
cause shown if counsel seeking permission presents a motion therefor to the court showing
counsel he (1) has taken reasonable steps to avoid foreseeable prejudice to the rights of the
his client, including giving due notice to the his client, allowing time for employment of
other counsel; (2) has delivered or stands ready to tender to the client all papers and property
to which the client is entitled; and (3) has refunded any unearned fee or part ofa fee paid
in advance, or stands ready to tender such a refund upon being permitted to withdraw.

Reporter’s Notes (20 ): Subdivision (b) was amended to add, “Subject to Rule 87,”
when Rule 87 was adopted to allow for limited scope representation.

 

for matters within the sc he representation as set forth in the ns

Reporter's Notes (20 ): This rule was added following adoption of Rale 1.2(0) of the
‘Arkansas Ruiles of Professional Conduct that permits limited scope representation,