2012 Arkansas Appellate Court Election Roundup

April 3, 2012August 24, 2013 ~ Tasha C. Taylor

UPDATE: 2012 Judicial Election Results for Arkansas Supreme Court and Arkansas Court of Appeals

Elections for seven positions on Arkansas’s appellate courts will be held during the preferential primary next month, on May 22, 2012.

One position on the Arkansas Supreme Court is open along with six positions on the Arkansas Court of Appeals. For more information about the candidates for each position, click on the links below.

Arkansas Supreme Court

Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Position 4

Arkansas Court of Appeals

District 1 Position 2

District 2 Position 2

District 3 Position 2

District 4 Position 1

District 4 Position 2

Court of Appeals Judge Mac Glover (Uncontested)

District 5 Position 1

Court of Appeals Judge Robin F. Wynne (Uncontested)

–Tasha Taylor

Exclusive: Fort Smith Attorney Brandon Harrison Announces Bid for Arkansas Court of Appeals

October 25, 2011August 24, 2013 ~ Tasha C. Taylor

: Fort Smith Attorney Brandon Harrison

Fort Smith Attorney Brandon Harrison, a former law clerk to U.S. District Judge D.P. Marshall Jr., has officially announced his candidacy for Arkansas Court of Appeals, District 4, Position 1. Currently Judge John Robbins holds that position, but plans to retire in 2012.

Harrison, a published legal writer, is currently a practicing attorney at his own firm in Fort Smith, concentrating on civil and criminal appeals and civil litigation.

In announcing his candidacy, Mr. Harrison stated, “Our greatest responsibilities are to ensure access to the courts in the first instance and see that parties have their appeals decided on the merits as often as possible.”

Mr. Harrison has been published in The Arkansas Lawyer, the Arkansas Law Review, and the newsletter of the Pretrial Practice and Discovery Committee of the American Bar Association, and he also authored a chapter of the Arkansas Bar Association’s Handling Appeals in Arkansas.

Harrison’s Press Release is available here.

Circuit Court Judge Looney of Mena has also announced his candidacy for District 4, Position 1.

UPDATE: Attorney Brandon Harrison’s announcement letter to attorneys in his district is attached here.

–Tasha Taylor

Searcy County District Court Judge Mitch Cash Joins Race for Arkansas Court of Appeals Seat

October 25, 2011August 24, 2013 ~ Tasha C. Taylor

Searcy County District Court Judge Mitch Cash has joined the race for the Arkansas Court of Appeals seat for District 2, Position 2. Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Wood has previously announced her candidacy for this position.

Prior to being elected District Court Judge, Judge Cash was a trial lawyer for more than 10 years. In addition to his role as a judge and maintaining a law practice, Judge Cash owns a title insurance agency, a car wash, and a beef cattle operation. Judge Cash and his family were recently selected as this year’s Searcy County Farm Family of the year.

View Judge Cash’s announcement letter here.

–Tasha Taylor

Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Wood Announces Candidacy for the Arkansas Court of Appeals

October 24, 2011August 24, 2013 ~ Tasha C. Taylor ~ 1 Comment

: Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Wood

Earlier this month, Judge Rhonda Wood announced her decision to run for the Arkansas Court of Appeals seat for District 2, Position 2, which is currently held by Cliff Hoofman. Hoofman was appointed to that seat in January of this year when newly elected Justice Karen Baker left that position to begin her term on the Arkansas Supreme Court. Because he was serving by appointment, Hoofman cannot run for that seat in the 2012 election.

Judge Rhonda Wood is a Judge for the 20th District Circuit Court of Arkansas. She was appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee to that position in 2006 to serve a two-year term, and in 2008 she was elected to remain in the position for another six-year term.

Prior to taking the bench, Judge Wood was the Assistant Dean of Student Development at the UALR Bowen School of Law. Before her tenure at the law school, Judge Wood owned a private law practice in Conway. She was also a former Associate Attorney at Williams & Anderson, LLP.

–Tasha Taylor

Cabot Circuit Court Judge Philip Whiteaker Announces Candidacy for Arkansas Court of Appeals

October 24, 2011August 25, 2013 ~ Tasha C. Taylor

Cabot Circuit Court Judge Philip Whiteaker announced last month that he will be a candidate for District 1, Position 2 of the Arkansas Court of Appeals. That seat is currently held by Judge Raymond Abramson, who was appointed to that position last year by Governor Mike Bebee.

Because Judge Abramson is serving by appointment, he is unable to run for the seat in the upcoming election. Earlier this year, Abramson announced his candidacy for the Arkansas Supreme Court seat that is currently held by Justice Jim Gunter. Justice Gunter announced in May of this year that he will not seek re-election for that position when his term ends in 2012.

–Tasha Taylor

Fayetteville Attorney Kenneth S. Hixson Joins Race for Arkansas Court of Appeals Seat for District 3, Position 2

September 10, 2011August 25, 2013 ~ Tasha C. Taylor

: Fayetteville Attorney Kenneth S. Hixson

Fayetteville attorney, Kenneth S. Hixson, has joined the race for the 2012 election to the Arkansas Court of Appeals for District 3, Position 2. Hixson is a partner in the Hixson & Daniels law firm in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Currently, the Honorable W. Douglas Martin holds the seat for District 3, Position 2. Judge Martin was appointed by Governor Mike Beebe to complete the term that was left vacant when Justice Courtney Henry was elected to the Arkansas Supreme Court. Arkansas law prohibits Judge Martin from seeking reelection for that position because he was appointed, and not elected, to that seat.

Currently Mr. Hixson is one of two attorneys to announce their candidacies for District 3, Position 2 are Mr. Hixson and Niki Cung. See Niki Cung Announces Candidacy for Arkansas Court of Appeals.

The 2012 elections for open positions on the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the Arkansas Supreme Court will take place on May 22, 2012.

–Tasha Taylor

Circuit Judge Jake Looney Announces for Arkansas Court of Appeals Position

September 10, 2011August 25, 2013 ~ Tasha C. Taylor ~ 3 Comments

: Circuit Court Judge Jake Looney

Circuit Court Judge Jake Looney recently announced his candidacy for the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Judge Looney is running for the District 4 seat on the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Currently Judge John Robbins holds that position, but plans to retire in 2012. Judge Looney is from Mena and is a former Dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law.

–Tasha Taylor