Opinion ID: 2184910
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Commencement of the Action

Text: Before discussing the issue of the unauthorized practice of law, we must first address some separate issues raised by Appellants that are directly related to the question of whether the pro se complaint was a nullity. First, Appellants contend that they were represented by counsel at the time this action commenced, and therefore, there is no basis for declaring the complaint a nullity. Appellants' base this contention on the theory that an action does not commence until service of process is completed under Ark. R. Civ. P. 4(i). According to Appellants, because service was completed after counsel entered an appearance, Appellants were not acting pro se. This argument is without merit. Appellants offer no authority in support of this argument, and in fact, acknowledge that Ark. R. Civ. P. 3 specifically provides that an action commences with the filing of a complaint with the court clerk. This court has explained that the touchstone for a limitations defense is when the cause of action was commenced. Sublett v. Hipps, 330 Ark. 58, 952 S.W.2d 140 (1997); Green v. Wiggins, 304 Ark. 484, 803 S.W.2d 536 (1991). While it is true that the effectiveness of the commencement of an action is dependent on the plaintiff completing service of process as provided for in Rule 4(i), for purposes of tolling the statute of limitations, this court looks to the time that the complaint was filed. Id. Therefore, the filing of the complaint commenced this action, and the fact that Appellants were represented by counsel at the time service was completed does not toll the statute of limitations. Instead, we must focus on whether Appellants were represented by counsel at the time the complaint was filed. Under Ark. R. Civ. P. 11(a), [a] party who is not represented by an attorney shall sign his pleading, motion, or other paper and state his address and telephone number, if any. In addition, Ark. R. Civ. P. 64(a), provides that, when additional counsel is employed to represent any party in a case, that counsel shall immediately cause the clerk to enter his name as attorney of record in the case and then shall notify the court and opposing counsel that he has been employed. Here, the lack of any signature by an attorney on the complaint is indicative of Appellants' pro se status at the time this action commenced. Moreover, the fact that an attorney did not file an entry of appearance in this matter until May 28, over three months after the filing of the complaint, is further proof that Appellants were not represented by counsel. We are mindful that counsel for Appellants now argues that his firm represented Appellants at the time the complaint was filed, but did not sign the complaint due to an inability to verify the allegations set forth in the pleading. If we accepted this argument, we would in effect be condoning counsel's attempt to circumvent the rules of civil procedure, and we will not do so.