reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AR Code § 16-19-402 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-402. Venue generally

 (a) Actions cognizable before a justice of the peace, instituted by summons or warrant, shall be brought before a justice of the peace in the township wherein the defendant resides or is found. If there are defendants in different townships, then the action shall be brought in the township where any one of the defendants resides or is found.  (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in a township having a population of less than three thousand (3,000) as shown by the most recent federal census, actions by attachment, actions for the recovery of personal property, actions for provisional remedy, and all criminal actions and proceedings may be brought before any justice of the peace in the county, although in counties where there is a municipal court having countywide or districtwide jurisdiction, actions by attachment, actions for the recovery of personal property, actions for provisional remedy, and all criminal actions, unless brought in, or transferred to, the municipal court, shall be tried before a justice of the peace in the township where any defendant to the action resides, or in the township where the property or money involved is found.
AR Code § 16-19-403 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-403. Joinder of defendants in different townships — Service of process by constable

 If there are several defendants who reside in different townships and who are jointly liable to a suit, the suit may be brought in any of the townships against all of the defendants. The constable of the township in which the suit may be brought shall serve the process in the several townships wherein the defendants may reside.
AR Code § 16-19-404 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-404. Venue where no justice of the peace in township or all justices disqualified

 Whenever there is no justice of the peace within the township where any suit cognizable before a justice ought to be brought, or when all the justices of the township are interested in any such suit or otherwise disqualified by law from trying the suit, every such suit may be brought before a justice in the same county.
AR Code § 16-19-405 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-405. Venue where defendants residing in different counties

 In any civil action cognizable before any justice of the peace in a township of the county in which any of the defendants resides, suit may be brought before any justice of the peace in the township of the county in which any one of the defendants resides. The summons or other process against the other defendants shall issue to any constable in the counties in which the other defendants may reside, which summons or other process, when served, shall give the justice before whom the suit is brought the same jurisdiction he would have if all of the defendants resided in his county.
AR Code § 16-19-406 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-406. Change of venue to another justice upon showing of interest or prejudice

 (a) Either party in a suit before a justice of the peace may take a change of venue from one justice of the peace to another in the same township, but it shall be the duty of the party so applying, before the commencement of the trial, to file an affidavit among the papers in the action alleging that the justice is a material witness for the affiant, or of near relation to the other party, or so prejudiced against the affiant that he cannot obtain a fair and impartial trial before that justice. The justice shall thereupon transmit all the original papers in the case and a certified transcript of the proceedings to the nearest justice of the peace in the same township, who shall proceed in the case in the same manner as if the suit had originally been commenced before him.  (b) If there is no other justice of the peace in the township competent to try the case, it shall be certified to the nearest justice in any adjoining township, who shall try and determine the case in the same manner as if the parties were residents of his township and the suit had been originally commenced before him.  (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the same party shall not be allowed to file an affidavit pursuant to this section against two (2) justices in the same case.
AR Code § 16-19-407 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-407. Change of venue from township

 (a) Either party, at the calling of a cause before a justice of the peace, may make an affidavit to the effect that he verily believes he cannot obtain a fair and impartial trial in the township in which the action is pending and may include in his affidavit one (1) township in addition to the one in which the action is pending, and the opposite party may, without affidavit, object to the same number of townships to which the party making the application has objected. Thereupon, it shall be the duty of the justice to make an order for the change of venue to a justice in a township to which there is no valid objection and which is in his judgment most convenient to the parties and their witnesses. The justice shall then transmit, without delay, the original papers in the case and a transcript of the proceedings to the justice to whose court the venue is changed, for which the transmitting justice shall receive five cents (5¢) per mile to and from the office of the justice to whom the cause is transmitted, which shall be taxed and collected as other costs in the case, together with his costs for making out the transcript.  (b) If the justice of the peace to whom the papers are so transferred cannot immediately, upon the reception and filing of the papers, proceed to try the case, it shall be his duty at once to fix a time therefor, of which all parties shall take notice.
AR Code § 16-19-408 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-408. Improper venue of action

 (a) Whenever an objection is made by a defendant in any action cognizable before a justice of the peace or a municipal court, instituted by summons or warrant, or in an action by an attachment, an action for the recovery of personal property, an action by provisional remedy, or in any criminal action or proceeding, that the action was brought before a justice of the peace or a municipal court wherein the venue is improper under the laws of the State of Arkansas, the court shall immediately hear proof on the question. If it is established by proof that the venue is improper, then all further proceedings shall be discontinued and the justice of the peace or clerk of the municipal court shall transmit to a justice of the peace or municipal court wherein the venue is proper all the original papers in the case, including the bail bond, if there is any.  (b) If the defendant is in custody, he shall be taken and delivered before the justice of the peace or the municipal court, and the bail, if any, shall be liable for the appearance of the defendant in the court to which the papers are transmitted.  (c) The court to which the papers are transmitted shall proceed to try the action in all respects as if the action had been originally brought to the court.
AR Code § 16-19-409 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-409. Change of venue from justice of peace to municipal court

 (a) In any case, either civil or criminal, brought before a justice of the peace in any township in the county wherein a municipal court exists, the judge may grant a change of venue to the municipal court, upon defendant's motion and a showing of good cause, without the prepayment or tender of any fees. Upon granting of the motion, the justice of the peace shall have no further jurisdiction in the case, except for the purpose of preparing a transcript for the municipal court.  (b) In the event of any change of venue from a justice of the peace to a municipal court in the counties where more than one (1) municipal court exists, the case shall be transferred to the nearest municipal court geographically in the county.  (c) In no event shall any change of venue lie from any municipal court to any justice of the peace in either civil or criminal cases.
AR Code § 16-19-410 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-410. Additional compensation of justices of the peace in townships having a municipal court

 A justice of the peace in a township subject to this act shall receive as compensation for his services the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per year, in equal quarterly installments, payable by the county, in addition to the compensation provided for by Acts 1875, No. 55, § 76 [repealed], and such fees as are allowed to justices of the peace by law for solemnizing marriages, taking and certifying acknowledgments of instruments, and attending to the duties of coroner, and for service in relation to estrays.
AR Code § 16-19-411 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-411. Filing of reports of fees and costs

 Justices of the peace in townships subject to this act shall, on or before the first day of county court, at each term thereof, file in the office of the county clerk a report, under oath, of all fees and costs taxed and collected in civil actions during the preceding quarter, giving the title of the cause and attaching to the report receipts of the county treasurer of all fees and costs collected during the period.
AR Code § 16-19-412 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 4 - Jurisdiction and Venue|§ 16-19-412. Improper use of process — Granting privileges — Failure to report or pay over fines

 Any municipal judge, or any justice of the peace in townships subject to this act, who makes use, directly or indirectly, of the process of his own court, either as a party litigant or in interest or as an attorney or agent for any party litigant or in interest, or who offers or gives by way of remission of fees or otherwise any pecuniary inducements to the instituting or maintaining of any suits, prosecutions, or proceedings in his court, and any justice of the peace, or constable in townships subject to this act, or sheriffs in counties subject to this act, or clerks of the municipal court, or chief of police in any city subject to this act, who fails to report or pay over fines, penalties, forfeitures, fees, or costs collected by him, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction for each of these offenses, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500). A conviction under this section shall work a forfeiture of office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, sheriffs and constables may retain the fees and costs due them out of each cause.
AR Code § 16-19-501 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 5 - Process|§ 16-19-501. Authority to issue subpoenas

 Justices of the peace shall have the same power to issue subpoenas for witnesses in civil and criminal actions pending before them and in preliminary examinations being heard by them, where such witnesses reside outside of their counties, as is given by law in similar cases to the circuit court.
AR Code § 16-19-502 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 5 - Process|§ 16-19-502. Payment in advance for issuance of process

 In all civil cases before a justice of the peace, the same advance payments shall be made, or bond and security given, as are provided for clerks for the issuance of any writ or process.
AR Code § 16-19-503 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 5 - Process|§ 16-19-503. Service of process by constable — Fees

 (a)  (1) The summons and other process mentioned in § 16-19-405 and the subpoenas mentioned in § 16-19-501 shall be directed to and shall be served by any constable in the county in which the party or parties to be served reside. The constables are given as full powers to serve such process as they are given by law to serve the process of justices of the peace of their own county.  (2) Each constable may execute civil process throughout the county.    (b) In no case shall the constable be allowed mileage for the service of any process he may serve outside of his township, other than from the residence of the defendant in such process to the nearest justice of the peace in the township in which that defendant resides.
AR Code § 16-19-504 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 5 - Process|§ 16-19-504. Vacancy in constable's office — Service by constable of adjoining township — Mileage fees

 (a) When the office of constable in any township becomes vacant by death, resignation, refusal or neglect to qualify, or failure to elect, any constable of any adjoining township, during the vacancy, shall execute and return all process which are issued by any justice of the peace in the township where the constable's office is vacant and which are directed to him, against any person in the township where the vacancy exists.  (b) In addition to the fees now allowed by law, the constable shall receive for the service of each and every summons or subpoena, or other process, except executions, so directed to him, two and one-half cents (2½¢) per mile, going and returning from his own residence to that of the person named in the process residing farthest from him.
AR Code § 16-19-505 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 5 - Process|§ 16-19-505. Appointment of special agents to execute process — Endorsement on writ

 Justices of the peace shall have power to appoint special agents to execute orders of arrest, attachments, and other provisional remedies and the summons which accompanies them, whenever an affidavit is filed with the justice by the plaintiff or his agent to the effect that he believes that, owing to the absence or difficulty of procuring a proper officer, the process or other order cannot be executed without injurious delay. In cases where there is no constable in the township, and the appointment provided for in this section shall be made, an endorsement shall be made on the writ or order and signed by the justice.
AR Code § 16-19-506 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 5 - Process|§ 16-19-506. Manner of service and return

 (a) The service and return thereto of the process provided for in this chapter shall be made in the same manner as in the circuit court, except that no service other than is provided for in this chapter shall be made by publication, nor shall any return made by anyone other than the sheriff, coroner, or constable of the county be valid unless sworn to.  (b) The service of process shall be by:  (1) Delivering to the defendant a copy of the summons, and, if he refuses to receive it, the offer of it to him shall be a sufficient service; or  (2) Leaving a copy of such summons at the usual place of abode of the defendant with some person who is a member of his family over the age of fifteen (15) years; or  (3) Reading it to and in the presence of the defendant.
AR Code § 16-19-601 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-601. Trial by court or jury

 After the parties appear and the issues have been made up, the matters in controversy may be submitted by them to the justice. If a jury is demanded by either party, the justice shall order a jury to be forthwith summoned and impaneled to try the action.
AR Code § 16-19-602 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-602. Adjournment

 If from any cause, the justice of the peace is unable to attend the trial at the time fixed, or if a jury is demanded, the justice may adjourn the case for a period not exceeding three (3) days, but shall not make more than two (2) adjournments for that cause.
AR Code § 16-19-603 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-603. Continuances — Testimony of adverse party's witness

 (a) Either party may obtain a postponement of the cause not exceeding thirty (30) days, on account of the absence of evidence by filing an affidavit like that required in § 16-63-402, subject to such terms as the court may impose.  (b) Either party who shall apply for the postponement of a cause shall, if required by the adverse party, consent that the testimony of any witness of the adverse party who is in attendance be then taken to be used on the trial of the cause.
AR Code § 16-19-604 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-604. Jurors — Number and qualifications

 The jury shall be composed of six (6) jurors who shall be qualified as required in the circuit courts. However, a lesser number of jurors may be agreed upon by the parties.
AR Code § 16-19-605 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-605. Challenges to jurors

 (a) In the formation of a jury, each party shall be entitled to three (3) peremptory challenges, and any deficiencies in the number of jurors summoned, arising from any cause, may be supplied by summoning others in their stead.  (b) In all cases before justices of the peace in this state, it shall be a legal cause for challenge that anyone selected as a juror has served as a juror in a justice's court in the same county within three (3) months prior to the institution of the suit in which the juror is selected.
AR Code § 16-19-606 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-606. Jurors — Oath

 The justice of the peace shall administer to each juror an oath well and truly to try the matter in controversy between , plaintiff, and , defendant, and a true verdict give according to the evidence, unless discharged by the justice of the peace.
AR Code § 16-19-607 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-607. Jury to hear evidence in a body

 After the jury are sworn, they shall sit together and hear the allegations and proofs of the parties, which shall be delivered publicly in their presence.
AR Code § 16-19-608 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-608. Witnesses generally

 (a) Every person offered as a witness, before any testimony shall be given by him, shall be duly sworn that the evidence he shall give relating to the matter between , plaintiff, and , defendant, shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  (b) If a witness, on being produced, shall be objected to as incompetent, or his testimony, when offered, shall be objected to as irrelevant, the objections shall be heard and determined by the justice.
AR Code § 16-19-609 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-609. Examination of adversary — Effect of refusal to submit to examination — Application on appeal

 (a) Either party may examine the other on oath and for that purpose may cause him to be summoned to attend the trial if he resides in the county or, if he resides out of the county, may file written interrogatories with the court or magistrate before whom the trial is to be had, together with an affidavit that he believes the answers to them are necessary to his obtaining justice, and cause a copy of the interrogatories to be delivered to the party required to answer them, who shall make out, swear to, and file with the court or magistrate, on or before the day of trial, a plain, direct response to the interrogatories, which may be read by either party.  (b) The court shall render judgment against the party who refuses to attend and be examined, when summoned two (2) days before trial, or to make proper responses to interrogatories when a copy has been delivered to him three (3) days before the trial, when he resides within fifty (50) miles of the place of trial, and one (1) additional day for every thirty (30) miles he may reside therefrom. However, the court may grant further time for attending or answering.  (c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall apply to circuit courts upon the trial of appeals from judgments of justices of the peace.
AR Code § 16-19-610 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 16 - Practice, Procedure, And Courts|Subtitle 2 - Courts and Court Officers|Chapter 19 - Justice Of The Peace Courts|Subchapter 6 - Trial|§ 16-19-610. Witness and juror attendance and mileage fees

 (a) The quorum court of any county may, by a majority vote of the members thereof, fix the fees payable to witnesses and jurors for attendance or service in the justice of the peace court at any sum not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) per day.  (b)  (1) Witnesses subpoenaed to attend a justice's court outside of their own county as provided in § 16-19-501 shall have the same mileage and per diem for attending such courts as is provided by law in like cases in the circuit court.  (2) They shall have the same right to demand and receive their mileage and per diem in advance as is provided by law for witnesses subpoenaed to attend the circuit court.