Title 16 — Practice, Procedure, And Courts

(a) The Administrative Office of the Courts may pay from funds specifically appropriated for this purpose a substitute trial court administrator for the services furnished to the circuit judge under this subchapter. (b) The substitute trial court administrator shall be paid at th…

(a) If a substitute trial court administrator is employed for a period that extends beyond the normal payroll period for the position, the Administrative Office of the Courts shall make an interim disbursement of the salary that has accrued during that period. (b) In any one (1) …

This chapter does not preclude or prohibit any circuit judge from obtaining payment for the services of a substitute trial court administrator from the county or counties composing the circuit judge's judicial district rather than from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

(1) As used in this subchapter, “retired judge” means a former:(1) Circuit court judge, chancery court judge, circuit-chancery court judge, Court of Appeals judge, or Supreme Court justice, receiving benefits under the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System; and(2) Municipal court j…

(a) A retired judge appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as a special judge under Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 80, and the rules prescribed by the Supreme Court shall receive compensation, in addition to his or her retirement benefits, at one-half (½) the rate …

The judge or justice shall not be entitled to a change in membership status or to any increase, decrease, or other modification to his or her retirement benefits as a result of his or her service after retirement.

In addition to the per diem compensation provided by this subchapter, a special judge serving under Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 80, shall receive expenses and mileage reimbursement from the appropriation provided to the Auditor of State for special and recalled judges for th…

(a) Per diem compensation prescribed in § 16-10-902 shall be for each day or portion of a day the judge serves on the bench. (b) For each day or portion of a day that a special judge appointed under Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 80, performs his or her judicial duties other th…

(a) The court may sit in two (2) divisions to be designated Division I and Division II. (b) Each division shall be composed of three (3) justices. (c) (1) The Chief Justice shall alternate in presiding over these divisions. In addition, he or she shall have a vote and the same po…

(a) In all cases where the construction of the Arkansas Constitution is involved, or in a capital criminal case, the cause shall be heard by the court en banc. (b) In each case heard by the court en banc, the concurrence of four (4) judges shall be necessary to a decision.

(a) All rules of the Supreme Court and all laws respecting the Supreme Court shall apply to the Supreme Court sitting in divisions and en banc. (b) The Supreme Court may make such further rules as may be necessary for the transaction and dispatch of business. (c) The Supreme Cour…

The Supreme Court shall have power to direct the forms of writs and process which are not contrary to or inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of this state.

A.C.A. § 16-11-107Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

No justice of the Supreme Court shall sit on the determination of any case in which he or she is interested in the outcome, is related to any party within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity, has been counsel in the case or presided over it in any inferior court, or is …

No person shall be employed as a law clerk by the Arkansas Supreme Court unless that person is a licensed attorney or a graduate of a law school approved by the State Board of Law Examiners.

(a) (1) Except as provided in this section, the Supreme Court Library shall be under the exclusive control and supervision of the Justices of the Supreme Court, who are hereby authorized to make such rules regarding its use and operation as they may deem proper.(2) (A) There shal…

A.C.A. § 16-11-111Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

(a) The Arkansas Supreme Court is authorized to provide for the publication by private publishing firms of the Arkansas Model Criminal Jury Instructions and the Arkansas Model Civil Jury Instructions for use in the trial courts of this state. (b) The Supreme Court shall solicit p…

(a) All expenditures for fuel, blank books, and stationery accruing in the Supreme Court shall be paid out of the State Treasury from any moneys appropriated for the contingent expenses of the Supreme Court. (b) The Auditor of State shall draw his or her warrant for the amount of…

A.C.A. § 16-11-114Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

Each special justice of the Supreme Court who is not a retired judge or justice or an active circuit or district judge, appointed under the provisions of the Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 80, § 13, shall receive, as full compensation for services rendered, the sum of one hundr…

(a) Pursuant to Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 28, the Supreme Court is charged with the authority and responsibility to regulate the practice of law. As of July 1, 2013, those persons who are employed by the Supreme Court to carry out these responsibilities and who are paid fr…

The General Assembly finds that as the Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, Inc., serves a public purpose, financial accounting, general bookkeeping, and management and administrative services may be provided by employees of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court — Bar of Arka…

It shall be the duty of the Clerk of the Supreme Court to furnish the Reporter of the Supreme Court with a copy of all decisions of the court within thirty (30) days after the expiration of the time allowed for filing motions for reconsideration.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Reporter of the Supreme Court to:(1) Prepare the syllabus without delay after the Clerk of the Supreme Court furnishes him or her with a copy of the decisions of the court;(2) Prefix notes to each published decision containing the points decided th…

A.C.A. § 16-11-203Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

(a) The Reporter of the Supreme Court is authorized to employ an assistant to aid the Reporter in the preparation of the headnotes for the published decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals and in the supervision of the distribution and publication of the decisions…

It shall be the duty of the Reporter of the Supreme Court to superintend the distribution and publication of the decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals in such format and medium as the Supreme Court may direct.

All statutes concerning pleading, practice, and procedure in all courts shall be deemed superseded by rules adopted by the Supreme Court pursuant to Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 80, § 3, or pursuant to the Supreme Court's constitutional, inherent, or statutory authority prior…

A.C.A. § 16-11-302Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

A.C.A. § 16-12-101Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

(a) Except as provided in § 16-12-106, all judges of the Court of Appeals shall be elected for full eight-year terms. (b) Each elected judge shall be a resident of the district from which he or she is elected.

The Court of Appeals shall be located in Little Rock and shall have offices as convenient to the State Capitol and the law library in the Justice Building as can be arranged, but the court en banc, or any division thereof, may sit in any county seat for the purpose of hearing arg…

The Court of Appeals shall have authority to issue any writs, directives, orders, and mandates that are appropriate, and only those that are appropriate, for the determination of cases within its jurisdiction.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall designate one (1) of the judges of the Court of Appeals as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. The appointment as Chief Judge shall be for a four-year term, and the person so named shall be eligible for reappointment, subject to the d…

(a) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may commission special judges pursuant to the Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 80, § 13. (b) Each special judge of the Court of Appeals who is not a retired judge or justice or an active circuit or district judge, appointed under the pro…

A.C.A. § 16-12-107Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

(a) The Clerk of the Supreme Court shall serve as Clerk of the Court of Appeals. (b) The Reporter of the Supreme Court shall serve as Reporter of the Court of Appeals. (c) The sheriff of the county wherein the Court of Appeals is sitting shall be the bailiff of that court. (d) Ea…

(a) A judge of the Court of Appeals may be reimbursed for necessary mileage. (b) Reimbursement under subsection (a) of this section shall:(1) Be paid out of funds appropriated in the operations appropriation for the Court of Appeals;(2) Be at the same mileage reimbursement rate a…

(1) The State of Arkansas is divided into the following seven (7) districts for the election of judges to the Court of Appeals:(1) District 1 shall be composed of Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Lonoke, Mississippi, Monroe, Poinsett, Prairie, White, and Woodruff count…

(1) The elections under this section shall be for an eight-year term as follows:(1) The judgeship designated prior to July 16, 2003, as “District 2, Position 2”, shall continue to be designated “District 2, Position 2”, and shall be subject to election in District 2;(2) The judge…

The Second Judicial District shall be composed of the counties of Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Greene, Mississippi, and Poinsett.

(a) (1) The terms of the circuit courts of the counties and districts of the Second Judicial District shall commence at the times and places provided for below and shall run for a period of one (1) year:(A) (i) In the Eastern District of Clay County: On the first Monday in Januar…

(a) (1) The qualified electors of the Second Judicial District shall elect:(A) Three (3) circuit judges;(B) Three (3) chancellors;(C) One (1) circuit-chancery judge; and(D) One (1) circuit-chancery judgeship.(2) (A) There is created in the Second Judicial District an additional c…

(a) (1) The judges of the chancery and probate courts for the Second Judicial District may appoint one (1) case coordinator for said judicial district for chancery and probate matters.(2) The judges of the circuit court for the Second Judicial District may appoint one (1) case co…

(a) Effective immediately upon passage and approval of this act, there is hereby created in the Second Judicial District an additional circuit-chancery judgeship, which shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, and probate. (b) As soon as possible after March 10, 1997, the Governor…

The counties which comprise the Second Judicial District shall provide courtroom and office facilities and supplies for the judge of the circuit-chancery judgeship created by § 16-13-1005 which shall be paid out of the county treasuries in the same manner as other demands against…

There shall be provided for the judge of the circuit-chancery judgeship created by this subchapter a court reporter and a trial court administrative assistant whose salaries shall be fixed and paid in the manner provided by law for court reporters and trial court administrative a…

When it appears that the circuit judge before whom a case is pending is disqualified under § 16-13-214, the case shall be reassigned to another judge.

A.C.A. § 16-13-102Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved