Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in California

You can file a small claims case in CA, obtain a judgment, and then domesticate the judgment in AR if the defendant has no assets in CA. Of course, the defendant must have some minimum contacts with CA for the CA court to exercise jurisdiction over the defendant. You should be prepared to explain that to the judge. For instance, did the defendant seek you out in CA to borrow money from you, and you sent a check from CA? Did you answer an advertisement in a California newspaper? Did the defendant come to CA and, while driving here, hit you with a vehicle? Those would constitute at least minimum contacts. Good luck!