Arkansas Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Arkansas is the highest court in the state judiciary of Arkansas. It has ultimate and largely discretionary appellate jurisdiction over all state court cases that involve a point of state law, and original jurisdiction over a narrow range of cases. The Supreme Court holds the power of judicial review, the ability to invalidate a statute for violating a provision of the Arkansas Constitution. It is also able to strike down gubernatorial directives for violating either the Constitution or statutory law. However, it may act only within the context of a case in an area of law over which it has jurisdiction.

Supreme Court of Arkansas
34°44′42.6″N 92°17′27.5″W
Established	January 13, 1836 (189 years ago) (1836-01-13)
Jurisdiction	Arkansas
Location	Little Rock, Arkansas
Coordinates	34°44′42.6″N 92°17′27.5″W
Composition method	Non-partisan election
Authorised by	Constitution of Arkansas
Appeals to	Supreme Court of the United States
Judge term length	8 years
Number of positions	7 (by statute)
Website	arcourts.gov/courts/supreme-court
Chief Justice
Currently	Karen R. Baker
Since	January 1, 2025 (2025-01-01)

The Superior Court of the Arkansas Territory was established in 1819. It consisted of three judges, and then four from 1828. It was the highest court in the territory, and was succeeded by the Supreme Court,^[1] established by Article Five of the 1836 Constitution, which was composed of three judges, to include a chief justice, elected to eight-year terms by the General Assembly. As later set by Act 205 of 1925, it consists of the Chief Justice of Arkansas and six associate justices.^[2] The Supreme Court currently operates under Amendment 80 of the Arkansas Constitution. Justices are elected in non-partisan elections to eight-year terms, staggered to make it unlikely the Court would be replaced in a single election.^[2] Mid-term Vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointment.^[2]

Each justice has a single vote in deciding the cases argued before the Court.^[2]

The Court meets in the Supreme Court Building in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Membership

See also: List of justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court

Position	Name	Born	Joined	Term ends	Mandatory retirement[a]	Appointed by	Law school
1	Karen R. Baker, Chief Justice	1963 (age 61–62)	January 1, 2011[b]	2030	2040	—[c]	UA Little Rock
2	Courtney Rae Hudson	1973 (age 51–52)	January 1, 2011[d]	2032	2048	—[c]	Arkansas
7	Rhonda K. Wood	(1969-12-10) December 10, 1969 (age 55)	January 1, 2015	2030	2046	—[c]	UA Little Rock
5	Shawn Womack	(1972-08-13) August 13, 1972 (age 53)	January 1, 2017	2032	2048	—[c]	Arkansas
4	Barbara Womack Webb	1956 or 1957 (age 67–68)	January 1, 2021	2028	2028	—[c]	Arkansas
3	J. Cody Hiland	1972 (age 52–53)	July 3, 2023[e]	2026	2048	Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R)	UA Little Rock
6	Nicholas Bronni	–	January 1, 2025	2026	–	Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R)	Michigan

1. Justices are prohibited from running for re-election past the age of 70. However, they may serve past 70 to finish the rest of their term where they were previously elected to.
2. Initially served as Associate Justice Seat 6 from January 1, 2011–December 31, 2024. Elected to Chief Justice in 2024 and took office on January 1, 2025.
3. Took office after being elected in a nonpartisan election.
4. Initially served as Associate Justice Seat 3 from January 1, 2011–December 31, 2024. Elected to Position 2 in 2024 and took office on January 1, 2025.
5. Appointed to Seat 2 from July 3, 2023–December 31, 2023. Reappointed to Seat 3 on January 1, 2025.

Further reading

• Distinguishing the Righteous from the Roguish: The Arkansas Supreme Court, 1836–1874 by J. W. Looney, 2016, University of Arkansas Press