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Tim Cullen (Arkansas)
Tim Cullen was a 2014 candidate for the Arkansas Supreme Court.[1][2]
Elections
- For in-depth coverage of the state's high court races, see: Arkansas Supreme Court elections, 2014
2014
- See also : Arkansas Supreme Court elections, 2014
Cullen ran for election to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
General: He was defeated in the general election on May 20, 2014, after receiving 48.0 percent of the vote. He competed against Robin Wynne.
[1][2]
Education
Cullen earned an undergraduate degree and a J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.[3]
Career
Cullen is a partner at the law firm of Cullen & Co., PLLC and specializes in the area of appellate law. Prior to opening his own firm, he served as a law clerk for Judge Terry Crabtree on the Arkansas Court of Appeals.[3]
Awards and associations
Associations
- Member, Task force on electronic appeals, Arkansas Supreme Court
- Member, William R. Overton Inn of Court
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Pulsaki County Bar Association
- Member, Arkansas Trial Lawyer Association
- Member, American Trial Lawyer Association
- Vice president of membership, Quapaw Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
- 2000-2011: Arkansas Bar Association
- 2008-2011: Member, House of Delegates
- 2001-2002: Chair, Young Lawyers section
- 2000-2001: Secretary/treasurer, Young Lawyers section[3]
Awards
Noteworthy events
Candidates attempt to distance themselves from outside group's ad
In May 2014, a group called The Law Enforcement Alliance of America started airing an ad opposing Cullen. The ad said, "Tim Cullen believes that childhood pornography is a victimless crime."[4] Cullen denied the statement, explaining that the ad "attributes something to me that I never argued."[4] The case in question involved a man named Leonard D'Andrea, who was arrested for attempting to have sex with an underage girl. In reality, the "girl" D'Andrea thought he had been communicating with online turned out to be law enforecement officers. Cullen represented D'Andrea on appeal and wrote in a brief that "defendant argues that his crimes were victimless."[4] In its opinion, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the argument, calling it "specious at best."[4]
Cullen explained that he was referring to the fact that D'Andrea was actually communicating with law enforcement. The Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers came to Cullen's defense regarding the ad. The association's president, Justin Eisele, stated, "To challenge the qualifications of a judicial candidate for fulfilling a constitutional mandate of a person’s right to counsel is to belittle one of the core beliefs of this country."[4]
Cullen's opponent, Robin Wynne, also attempted to distance himself from the advertisement. On May 10, campaign consultant Linda Napper was quoted on Wynne campaign's Facebook page, explaining that they had no knowledge or involvement with the ad and planned to continue to run a positive campaign.[5]
Hal Bass, a political science professor at Ouachita State University, pointed to this incident as a sign of increased politicization in the state's nonpartisan judicial elections.[6]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Arkansas Times, "Contest develops for Arkansas Supreme Court," February 17, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Nonpartisan Election Results," May 20, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Cullen & Co., "Attorneys, Tim Cullen," accessed March 25, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Times Record, "Election 2014: Judicial Candidate Says Outside Group’s Involvement In Race Disturbing," May 12, 2014
- ↑ Facebook, "Elect Judge Robin Wynne for AR Supreme Court," May 10, 2014
- ↑ Gavel Grab, "Critical Ads in Judicial Elections Draw Attention, Questions," May 12, 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
