Article VII — Judicial Department

The judicial power of the State shall be vested in one Supreme Court; in circuit courts; in county and probate courts, and in justices of the peace. The General Assembly may also vest such jurisdiction as may be deemed necessary in municipal corporation courts, courts of common p…

The Supreme Court shall be composed of three judges, one of whom shall be styled chief justice, and elected as such; any two of whom shall constitute a quorum, and the concurrence of two judges shall, in every case, be necessary to a decision

When the population of the State shall amount to one million, the General Assembly may, if deemed necessary, increase the number of judges of the Supreme Court to five; and, on such increase, a majority of judges shall be necessary to make a quorum or decision.

The Supreme Court, except in cases otherwise provided by this Constitution, shall have appellate jurisdiction only, which shall be co-extensive with the State, under such restrictions as may from time to time be prescribed by law. It shall have a general superintending control ov…

In the exercise of original jurisdiction the Supreme Court shall have power to issue writs of quo warranto to the circuit judges and chancellors when created, and to officers of political corporations when the question involved is the legal existence of such corporations.

A judge of the Supreme Court shall be at least thirty years of age, of good moral character, and learned in the law; a citizen of the United States and two years a resident of the State, and who has been a practicing lawyer eight years, or whose service upon the bench of any cour…

The Supreme Court shall appoint its clerk and reporter, who shall hold their offices for six years, subject to removal for good cause.

The terms of the Supreme Court shall be held at the seat of government at the times that now are, or may be, provided by law.

In case all or any of the judges of the Supreme Court shall be disqualified from presiding in any cause or causes, the court or the disqualified judge shall certify the same to the governor, who shall immediately commission the requisite number of men learned in the law to sit in…

The supreme judges shall at stated times receive a compensation for their services to be ascertained by law, which shall not be, after the adjournment of the next General Assembly, diminished during the time for which they shall have been elected. They shall not be allowed any fe…

The circuit courts shall have jurisdiction in all civil and criminal eases, the exclusive jurisdiction of which may not be vested in some other court provided for by this constitution.

The circuit courts shall hold their terms in each county at such times and places as are, or may be, prescribed by law.

The State shall be divided into convenient circuits, each circuit to be made up of contiguous counties, for each of which circuits a judge shall be elected, who, during his continuance in office, shall reside in and be a conservator of the peace within the circuit for which he sh…

The circuit courts shall exercise a superintending control and appellate jurisdiction over county, probate, court of common pleas and corporation courts and justices of the peace, and shall have power to issue, hear and determine all the necessary writs to carry into effect their…

Until the General Assembly shall deem it expedient to establish courts of chancery the circuit courts shall have jurisdiction in matters of equity, subject to appeal to the Supreme Court, in such manner as may be prescribed by law.

A judge of the circuit court shall be a citizen of the United States, at least twenty-eight years of age, of good moral character, learned in the law, two years a resident of the State, and shall have practiced law six years, or whose service upon the bench of any court of record…

The judges of the circuit courts shall be elected by the qualified electors of the several circuits, and shall hold their offices for the term of four years.

The judges of the circuit courts shall at stated times receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, which shall not, after the adjournment of the first session of the general assembly, be diminished during the time for which they are elected. They shall no…

The clerks of the circuit court shall be elected by the qualified electors of the several counties, for the term of two years, and shall be ex-officio clerks of the county and probate courts and recorder; provided, that in any county having a population exceeding fifteen thousand…

No judge or justice shall preside in the trial of any cause in the event of which he may be interested, or where either of the parties shall be connected with him by consanguinity or affinity, within such degree as may be prescribed by law; or in which he may have been of counsel…

Whenever the office of judge of the circuit court of any county is vacant at the commencement of a term of such court, or the judge of said court shall fail to attend, the regular practicing attorneys in attendance on said court may meet at 10 o'clock a. m. on the second day of t…

The judges of the circuit courts may temporarily exchange circuits or hold courts for each other under such regulations as may be prescribed by law.

Judges shall not charge juries with regard to matters of fact, but shall declare the law, and in jury trials shall reduce their charge or instructions to writing on the request of either party.

The qualified electors of each circuit shall elect a prosecuting attorney, who shall hold his office for the term of two years, and he shall be a citizen of the United States, learned in the law, and a resident of the circuit for which he may be elected.

The judges of the supreme, circuit or chancery courts shall not, during their continuance in office, practice law or appear as counsel in any court, State or Federal, within this State.

The General Assembly shall have power to regulate by law the punishment of contempts not committed in the presence or hearing of the courts, or in disobedience of process.

The circuit court shall have jurisdiction upon information, presentment or indictment to remove any county or township officer from office for incompetency, corruption, gross immorality, criminal conduct, malfeasance, misfeasance or non-feasance in office.

The county courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in all matters relating to county taxes, roads, bridges, ferries, paupers, bastardy, vagrants, the apprenticeship of minors, the disbursement of money for county purposes, and in every other case that may be necessary t…

The judge of the county court shall be elected by the qualified electors of the county for the term of two years. He shall be at least twenty-five years of age, a citizen of the United States, a man of upright character, of good business education and a resident of the State for …

The justices of the peace of each county shall sit with and assist the county judges in levying the county taxes, and in making appropriations for the expenses of the county in the manner to be prescribed by law; and the county judge together with a majority of said justices, sha…

The terms of the county courts shall be held at the times that are now prescribed for holding the supervisors courts, or may hereinafter be prescribed by law.

The General Assembly may authorize the judge of the county court of any one or more counties to hold severally a quarterly court of common pleas in their respective counties, which shall be a court of record, with such jurisdiction in matters of contract and other civil matters n…

Appeals from all judgments of county courts or courts of common pleas, when established, may be taken to the circuit court under such restrictions and regulations as may be prescribed by law.

The judge of the county court shall be the judge of the court of probate, and have such exclusive original jurisdiction in matters relative to the probate of wills, the estate of deceased persons, executors, administrators, guardians and persons of unsound mind and their estate a…

Appeals may be taken from judgments and orders of the probate court to the circuit court under such regulations and restrictions as may be prescribed by law.

Whenever the judge of the county or probate court may be, disqualified from presiding in any cause or causes pending in his court he shall certify the facts to the Governor of the State, who shall thereupon commission a special judge to preside in such cause or causes during the …

The county judge shall receive such compensation for his services as presiding judge of the county court, as judge of the court of probate and judge of the court of common pleas, when established, as may be provided by law. In the absence of the circuit judge from the county the …

The qualified electors of each township shall elect the justices of the peace for the term of two years, who shall be commissioned by the Governor, and their official oath shall be indorsed on the commission.

For every two hundred electors there shall be elected one justice of the peace, but every township, however small, shall have two justices of the peace.

They shall have original jurisdiction in the following matters: First, exclusive of the circuit court, in all matters of contract where the amount in controversy does not exceed the sum of one hundred dollars, excluding interest, and concurrent jurisdiction in matters of contract…

A justice of the peace shall be a qualified elector and a resident of the township for which he is elected.

Appeals may be taken from the final judgment of the justices of the peace to the circuit courts under such regulations as are now, or may be, provided by law.

Corporation courts for towns and cities may be invested with jurisdiction concurrent with justices of the peace in civil and criminal matters, and the General Assembly may invest such of them as it may deem expedient with jurisdiction of any criminal offenses not punishable by de…

The Pulaski Chancery Court shall continue in existence until abolished by law, or the business pending at the adoption of this Constitution shall be disposed of, or the pending business be transferred to other courts. The judge and clerk of said court shall hold office for the te…

The separate criminal courts established in this State are hereby abolished, and all the jurisdiction exercised by said criminal courts is vested in the circuit courts of the respective counties; and all causes now pending therein are hereby transferred to said circuit courts res…

The qualified electors of each county shall elect one sheriff, who shall be ex-officio collector of taxes, unless otherwise provided by law; one assessor, one coroner, one treasurer, who shall be ex-officio treasurer of the common school fund of the county, and one county surveyo…

The qualified electors of each township shall elect a constable for the term of two years, who shall be furnished by the presiding judge of the county court with a certificate of election, on which his official oath shall be endorsed.

All officers provided for in this article, except constables, shall be commissioned by the Governor.

All writs and other judicial process shall run in the name of the State of Arkansas, bear test and be signed by the clerks of the respective courts from which they issue. Indictments shall conclude: "Against the peace and dignity of the State of Arkansas."

All vacancies occurring in any office provided for in this article shall be filled by special election, save that in case of vacancies occurring in county and township offices six months, and in other offices nine months, before the next general election; such vacancies shall be …