Arkansas
Arkansas’s highest court is the Arkansas Supreme Court. The court has six associate justices and one chief justice. Chief justices serve eight-year terms and are selected by popular vote. (Source: Arkansas Supreme Court; Arkansas Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Justices run for an eight-year term on the Arkansas Supreme Court in nonpartisan elections, and they can seek additional terms through nonpartisan elections. When a seat opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor chooses a candidate to fill the seat. If the open seat would have been filled in the regular course at Arkansas’s next general election had no vacancy occurred, the appointed justice serves the remainder of the unexpired term. However, if the open seat would not have been filled in the regular course at the next general election, the appointed justice holds office until the next general election if the vacancy occurs more than four months prior to the election or the second succeeding general election if the vacancy occurs less than four months before the election. There are no term limits, but justices lose their retirement benefits if elected or appointed to judicial office after age 70.
State Constitution
Arkansas has had five constitutions adopted between 1836 and 1874. As of January 1, 2024, it had 110 amendments.(Source: John Dinan, 2024)
Filters
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Executive Orders and Threatened Cuts Challenge Public Education and the Courts
Education rights expert Joshua Weishart discusses the effects of Trump’s education policy changes and how states are pushing back.
State Constitutional Resources We Love
For those who want to know more about state constitutions, a compilation of tools including case databases, interactive maps, and more.
No State Actor, No Problem
Unlike the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions can impose obligations on private actors.
Justices Battle for Control of the Arkansas Supreme Court
A series of disagreements — and resulting disciplinary investigations — threaten to undermine the public’s trust in the court.
What the SCOTUS Term Means for State Courts
Some of the Court’s most important holdings — including on abortion, gun restrictions, and presidential immunity — have implications for state courts and constitutions.