2019 Arkansas Code
Title 5 - Criminal Offenses
Subtitle 4 - Offenses Against Property
Chapter 37 - Forgery and Fraudulent Practices
Subchapter 3 - Arkansas Hot Check Law
§ 5-37-304. Evidence Against Maker or Drawer
(a) For purposes of this section, it is prima facie evidence that the maker or drawer intended to defraud and knew at the time of the making, drawing, uttering, or delivering that the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving transmission of account information would not be honored if:
(1) The maker or drawer had no account with the drawee at the time the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving transmission of account information was made, drawn, uttered, or delivered;
(2) The check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving transmission of account information bears the endorsement or stamp of a collecting bank indicating that the instrument or transmission was returned or otherwise dishonored because of insufficient funds to cover the value; or
(3) Payment was refused by the drawee for lack of funds, upon presentation within thirty (30) days after delivery, and the maker or drawer has not paid the holder the amount due, together with a service charge not to exceed thirty dollars ($30.00), plus the amount of any fees charged to the holder of the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving transmission of account information by a financial institution as a result of the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving transmission of account information not being honored, within ten (10) days after receiving written notice that payment was refused upon the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving transmission of account information.
(b)
(1) A prosecuting attorney may file charges immediately after the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information has been returned.
(2) The prosecuting attorney may collect restitution, including a service charge, not exceeding thirty dollars ($30.00) per check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information plus the amount of any fees charged to the holder of the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information by a financial institution as a result of the check's, draft's, order's, or other forms of presentment involving the transmission of account information's not being honored, for the payees of the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information.
(c) The check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information bearing an “insufficient” stamp or “no account” stamp from the collecting bank or any other report or stamp from the collecting bank indicating that the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information was dishonored or unable to be paid due to insufficient funds on deposit to cover the value of the check, draft, order, or other form of presentment involving the transmission of account information shall be received as evidence that there were insufficient funds or no account at trial in any court in this state.
(d) Nothing in this section is deemed to abrogate a defendant's right of cross-examination of a banking official if notice of intention to cross-examine is given ten (10) days prior to the date of hearing or trial.
