Arkansas Supreme Court Justices Block Chief Justice Karen Baker’s ‘Retaliatory’ Firing of 10 Employees

The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock (Dustin Nevill)

Five justices on the Arkansas Supreme Court prevented the newly sworn in Chief Justice Karen Baker from firing 10 employees, noting that some of the attempted firings appeared to be retaliatory because the workers had pending complaints against her. 

It’s the latest episode of division within the court to become public.

Included on the list of those to be fired were Marty Sullivan, the director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, and Chief of Supreme Court Police Pete Hollingsworth, according to the Jan. 3 per curiam order. 

“Not once did the Chief Justice articulate a specific reason for firing any of these employees, either to the full court or to the employees themselves,” the order said. 

“Some of these employees have pending human-resource complaints against the Chief Justice for recent incidents,” the order said. “And the Chief Justice has attempted to terminate the recipient of these complaints, the Director of Finance and Administration, [Sam Kauffman] These terminations therefore appear to be retaliatory.”

Arkansas Supreme Court Order Jan. 3, 2025 by Arkansas Business on Scribd

The majority of the court called the situation “unnecessary and unfortunate.” Baker and Justice Courtney Hudson didn’t participate in the order.  Baker didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment left on her phone. 

The order said that Sullivan can’t be terminated without the express consent of at least four members of the Supreme Court. The order also said any terminations that occurred on or after Jan. 1 that don’t meet the terms set out in the order are rescinded. “The failure to abide by any provision of this order may result in a citation for contempt,” the order said. 

If the terminations had gone through, “those terminations would disrupt the administration of justice across the state of Arkansas,” the order said. 

“The events giving rise to this order have been percolating but came to a head” on Jan. 2, when Baker called Sullivan and Hollingsworth into her office for a meeting.

On Dec. 11, Arkansas Business reported that Baker, who was chief justice-elect at the time, had entered Sullivan’s office when he wasn’t there.

The episode prompted a vote by the Supreme Court to implement new rules restricting access to Justice Building offices for Supreme Court justices.

Arkansas Business also published a  screengrab of security footage from the Arkansas Supreme Court building on Dec. 4. The footage showed Commerce Department Chief of Staff Allison Hatfield, Justice Courtney Rae Hudson and Baker walking down a hallway toward Sullivan’s office.

Baker told Arkansas Business last month that they first went to Sullivan’s office to arrange a tour of the AOC office and extension, but he wasn’t there.  Hudson said in an email to Arkansas Business last month that she “stood at the doorway to Mr. Sullivan’s office upon learning that he was not present to give a tour of the new AOC workspace.” She said she didn’t make an “unauthorized office entry.”

On Jan. 2, a day after she was sworn in as chief justice, Baker “confronted” Sullivan and Hollingsworth “about their responses to Freedom of Information Act requests involving her,” the order said. 

Baker “noted that she had prepared letters of termination for the Director and Police Chief, but was unsure whether she would fire them,” the order said. 

On Jan. 3, Baker “purported” to fire Hollingsworth, and she had prepared termination letters for several employees of the Administrative Office of the Courts, including Sullivan. 

After learning of the attempted terminations, a justice asked to meet with Baker, but Baker refused, the order said. 

“Four members of the court then renewed the request to discuss the attempted terminations, and the Chief Justice again declined,” according to the order. 

When Baker was asked why the 10 employees were being terminated, Baker said she had “millions of reasons.” 

“Then, when asked about those employees’ families and the fact that they were scared and fearful, the Chief Justice responded by saying that it was ‘good’ for those employees to be scared,” the order said. Baker then ended that discussion.

In a Jan. 3 letter to Baker from Sullivan that was obtained by Arkansas Business, Sullivan said that what his team has “endured the last few months is sad, outrageous, and completely unacceptable.”

The 10 employees who were going to be fired “are dedicated professionals that have served the judiciary with honor for decades,” Sullivan wrote. “This reeks of retaliation and intimidation.”

Sullivan said Baker’s actions “were disappointing and beneath the dignity of the office.”

“Despite the chaos caused today, I will ensure the Administrative Office of the Courts continues to serve the dedicated judges and court staff all across this great state with excellence as always,” he wrote. 

In the per curiam order, the justices thanked the employees who were targeted for termination for their service and offered their “sincere apologies to their families for this situation.”