Highest Court
The highest court in Arkansas is the Supreme Court of Arkansas. The Supreme Court consists of 7 justices. It has jurisdiction over (1) Appellate jurisdiction over cases from circuit, chancery and probate courts. (2) Appellate jurisdiction over those appeals from the Court of Appeals.
Intermediate Courts
Court Of Appeals The Court of Appeals consist of 12 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Appellate jurisdiction over cases from circuit, chancery and probate courts, except those appealed directly to Supreme Court.
General Courts
The Circuit Courts consist of 115
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Civil cases over $100 (2) Original
jurisdiction in criminal. (3) Land disputes, domestic relations, probate,
and juvenile.
Has appeal de novo.
No Jury trials are overseen by this
court.
Limited Courts
District Court
The District Court consist of 110
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Contract and property damage
$5,000 or less. (2) Felony preliminaries. (3) Misdemeanors. (4) Traffic.
No jury trials
City Court
The City Court consists of 92 judges.
It has jurisdiction over (1) Civil cases under $300. (2) Misdemeanor and
city ordinance violations.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
Additional Information
Terms of Court, Recess, and Adjournment
of the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Arkansas begins
its annual term on the second Monday of September and may recess and adjourn
as the court orders (Arkansas Code, Non-Annotated, Section 16-11-101)
Disqualification of a Justice.
In accord of Statute 16-11-108 of
the Non-Annotated Arkansas Code, a justice of the Supreme Court shall
not sit for the determination of any case in which he or she is interested
in the outcome, related to any party within the third degree of consanguinity
or affinity, has been counsel in the case, presided over it in an inferior
court, or disqualified under the Arkansas Code of Judicial Conduct.
However, a disqualification under the Arkansas Code of Judicial Conduct
may be waived by the parties as deemed by the code.
Expenses of the Supreme Court
The expenses of the Supreme Court
for fuel, blank books, and stationery shall be paid out of the State Treasure
from any moneys appropriated for the contingent expenses of the Supreme
Court. The State Auditor shall draw his/her warrant for the amount
of the expenditures. The certificate of the court shall be a sufficient
voucher. (AR Non-Annotated Code, 16-11-113)
Location of the Court of Appeals
The city of Little Rock shall be
the location of the Court of Appeals. As much as can be arranged,
the Appeals Court shall also have offices as close to the State Capitol
and the law library as possible. The court en banc, or any divisions
thereof, may sit in any county seat for the purpose of hearing argument
in cases before it. (AR Non-Annotated Code16-12-103)
Special Judges
Arkansas Non-Annotated Code Statute
16-12-106 outlines the commissioning of special judges.
Endorsement of Paper
The clerk shall have the responsibility
to endorse every order for a provisional remedy, endorse every paper filed
in an action and the day it was filed, and endorse every bond taken and
the day of its return to the clerk's office. (Arkansas Non-Annotated Code,
Statute 16-20-101)
Opinion on Criminal Law Matters
to Be given to Public Officers
In accordance with Arkansas Non-Annotated
Code, Statute 16-21-102, the prosecuting attorney shall give his opinion
to any county or township office in his judicial district, on matters of
criminal law in which the state or county is concerned, pending before
the official. The prosecuting attorney shall provide this opinion
without fee or reward.
