Courts – State Courts – Arkansas
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.
