What Is the Arkansas Hot-Check Law?
The Arkansas “hot check” law comes into effect when a person in the state of Arkansas writes a check for an amount he knows cannot be covered by the money in his bank account. Whether the hot-check writer has committed a felony or misdemeanor depends on the amount of the bounced check, but the penalties are also different depending on where the offense was committed.
As an example, in Saline County, Ark. it is a misdemeanor to write a hot check for less than $200. If the check is over $200 or the offender has written multiple checks totaling more than $500 over a three-month period, he may be charged with a felony, as of 2014.
However, In the city of Springdale, someone who writes a hot check of up to $1,000 is still qualified as a misdemeanor offender, with anything over that amount considered a felony. In addition to criminal charges being brought against the person who writes a hot check, there can also be a civil penalty incurred. Under Arkansas law, someone who was the recipient of a hot check can ask for the amount of the check plus a $30 fee to be awarded to him, as of 2014.
