Joint and Several Liability in Arkansas
State-specific overview · Tort Law
Arkansas applies joint and several liability in full for all damages without significant statutory restrictions.
How Arkansas treats Joint and Several Liability
Arkansas maintains traditional joint and several liability, permitting plaintiffs to recover the entire judgment from any defendant regardless of comparative fault. Each defendant remains fully liable for the complete amount owed. Defendants may seek contribution from co-defendants, but this does not limit the plaintiff's right to collect from any single defendant first.
The general definition of Joint and Several Liability
Multiple defendants can each be held fully responsible for the entire judgment, not just their share.
When two or more people or companies are sued together for causing harm, the injured person can collect the full amount from any one of them, rather than having to split the recovery among all defendants. This means if you win a $100,000 judgment against three defendants, you can demand all $100,000 from just one of them, and that defendant can then try to recover their fair share from the others. It protects the injured person by ensuring they get paid even if some defendants can't pay.
Read the full Joint and Several Liability entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in Arkansas.