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
How Courts Oversee Ballot Initiatives
State courts — and to some degree federal courts — play a significant role in every stage of the direct democracy process.
New Findings Highlight Lack of Diversity on State Supreme Courts
More data and further scholarship is needed to devise policies for promoting a state bench that adequately represents the varied background of the public.
Scholarship Roundup: End of Semester Edition
Recent articles address states taking policy questions away from courts, standing in election cases, and state shadow dockets.
The Sorry State of Disclosure for State Supreme Court Justices
A new study reveals that disclosures by state supreme court justices are frequently hard to access and lack relevant financial information.
What We’ll Be Watching in the 2024 Elections
Our new Election 2024 page that will collect stories that explain, contextualize, and track all the ways state courts and constitutions matter this election season.
Alabama IVF Ruling Puts Spotlight on Fetal Personhood Rights
The decision is an extension of fetal personhood protections that have existed and been enforced in Alabama — and many other states — since before Dobbs.
Unpacking the Legal Challenges to Trump’s Ballot Eligibility
The vast majority of cases aiming to remove Trump from the ballot have been dismissed, but without deciding whether he’s eligible to hold the presidency.
Status of Partisan Gerrymandering Litigation in State Courts: A Mid-Year Roundup
Ahead of 2024, voters have increasingly turned to state courts to challenge gerrymandered districts.