Arkansas 2nd Judicial Circuit
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| Trial courts and judges |
| Elections by state |
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The Arkansas 2nd Judicial Circuit resides in Arkansas. Click on the links below to learn more about the court's...
Jurisdiction
This court holds the following jurisdiction:[1]
| “ | Arkansas Constitutional Amendment 80, having taken effect on July 1, 2001, eliminated separate courts of law and courts of equity in Arkansas. Circuit courts are general jurisdiction trial courts. Effective January 1, 2002, circuit courts shall consist of five subject matter divisions: criminal, civil, probate, domestic relations, and juvenile. You can find contact numbers for all the circuit courts in the Judic[i]al Directory.[2] | ” |
Selection method
- See also: Judicial selection in the states
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
There are 122 judges on the Arkansas Circuit Courts, each elected to six-year terms. They compete in nonpartisan primaries (occurring at the same time as the primary elections for other state officials) in which the candidate who receives more than 50 percent of the vote wins the seat. If no candidate garners a majority of the vote, the top two candidates compete in a runoff during the general election.[3]
The chief judge of each circuit court is chosen by supreme court appointment. He or she serves in that capacity for an indefinite period of time.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[3]
- at least 28 years old;
- of "good moral character;"
- learned in the law;
- a U.S. citizen;
- a state resident for at least 2 years; and
- a legal practitioner for at least 6 years.
Judicial elections in Arkansas
- See also: Arkansas judicial elections
Arkansas is one of 12 states that uses nonpartisan elections to select judges and does not use retention elections for subsequent terms. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
General election
Judicial candidates compete in a nonpartisan general election on the same day as the primary for non-judicial elections. If no candidate wins a majority, the two candidates with the most votes participate in a runoff. If a runoff is required, it takes place on the same day as the general election for partisan races, and runoff candidates appear on the general election ballot.[4][5]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Arkansas Judiciary, "Circuit Courts," accessed May 10, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Arkansas," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2014 nonpartisan elections calendar," accessed April 24, 2014
- ↑ Justia US Law, "§ 7-10-102 - Nonpartisan election of judges and justices," 2012, accessed April 30, 2014
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas
State courts:
Arkansas Supreme Court • Arkansas Court of Appeals • Arkansas Circuit Courts • Arkansas District Courts • Arkansas City Courts
State resources:
Courts in Arkansas • Arkansas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Arkansas
