NCJ Number
57535
Date Published
1975
Length
107 pages
Annotation
THIS 1975 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ARKANSAS JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT CONTAINS STATISTICAL DATA ON ACTIVITIES OF COURTS IN THE STATE, WITH COMPARATIVE DATA GIVEN FOR 1974.
Abstract
THE ARKANSAS COURT SYSTEM MAINTAINS SEPARATE COURTS OF LAW AND EQUITY. JUDGES OF COURTS OF LAW ARE DESIGNATED CIRCUIT JUDGES, AND JUDGES OF COURTS OF EQUITY ARE TERMED CHANCELLORS. PARTIAL UNIFICATION OF THE COURT SYSTEM, HOWEVER, OCCURRED IN 1965 WHEN THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT WAS DESIGNATED THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEAD OF THE ENTIRE STATE COURT SYSTEM. APPEALS FROM CIRCUIT AND CHANCERY COURTS ARE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE SUPREME COURT. THERE IS NO INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS IN THE STATE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. MUNICIPAL COURTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN THE CATEGORY OF LIMITED JURISDICTION COURTS. STATISTICS CONTAINED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT ARE DERIVED FROM QUARTERLY RECORDS KEPT BY GENERAL JURISDICTION COURTS AND FROM SEMIANNUAL REPORTS PREPARED BY LIMITED JURISDICTION COURTS. NARRATIVE AND TABULAR INFORMATION IS PRESENTED FOR THE SUPREME COURT (WORKLOAD), GENERAL JURISDICTION COURTS (WORKLOAD, ASSIGNMENT OF JUDGES, PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, COURT REPORTERS, COURT CLERKS, CIRCUIT COURTS, CHANCERY COURTS, AND PROBATE COURTS), AND LIMITED JURISDICTION COURTS (COUNTY JUDGES, JUVENILE COURT REFEREES, COMMON PLEA COURTS, MUNICIPAL COURTS, CITY AND POLICE COURTS, AND JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURTS). THE STATE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF ARKANSAS AND CONTINUING JUDICIAL EDUCATION ARE DISCUSSED. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT IS ILLUSTRATED. (DEP)