Dan Kemp
$12M Award Overturned in Turner Grain Case
Arkansas Supreme Court finds lack of evidence that K.B.X. wronged farmers. read more >
by Mark Friedman -
Medical Marijuana Licensing Tests Scales of Justice
As Arkansas’ fledgling medical marijuana industry passed $300 million in cumulative sales, its licensing system for cannabis businesses was taking fire in court, not least for granting a cultivation license to a company that didn’t legally exist. read more >
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Arkansas Justices Challenge Ethics Charges Over Wendell Griffen’s Case
Five Arkansas Supreme Court justices on Wednesday challenged efforts to sanction them over the court's decision to prohibit a judge who participated in an anti-death penalty demonstration from hearing any execution-related cases. read more >
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Arkansas Justices Face Ethics Charges Over Wendell Griffen Case
A disciplinary panel filed ethics charges Thursday against six Arkansas Supreme Court justices over their decision to prohibit a judge who participated in an anti-death penalty demonstration from handling any execution-related cases. read more >
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Voter ID Fight Testing Court as Much as New Law (Andrew DeMillo Analysis)
The Arkansas Supreme Court's decision to allow the state to enforce its voter ID law in this month's primary while justices consider whether the measure is unconstitutional sets up a test over Republican lawmakers' efforts to reinstate a law struck down four years ago. More importantly, it will show how much the state's highest court has changed since 2014. read more >
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Proposal Would Allow Legislature to Waive Immunity for Lawsuits
A group called "The Committee to Restore Arkansans' Rights" proposes a constitutional amendment that would give the Legislature the right to waive sovereign immunity in certain circumstances read more >
Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson to Seek Re-Election
Justice Courtney Goodson will run in the May election for her Supreme Court seat, and David Sterling, an attorney for the state Department of Human Services, plans to challenge her. read more >
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Arkansas Court: Lawmakers Can’t Waive State’s Suit Immunity
The Arkansas Legislature can't loosen the state's immunity from lawsuits, the state's highest court found Thursday in a ruling that critics said would give officials "king-like" protection from court challenges on a number of fronts. read more >
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Arkansas Panel OKs Raises for Officials, Exempts Griffin
An Arkansas panel has approved a 2 percent pay raise for all of the state's top elected officials except the lieutenant governor, who has said he didn't want the bump in salary. read more >
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Arkansas Panel Recommends 2 Percent Raises for Officials
An Arkansas panel is recommending a 2 percent raise for the state's elected officials and judges, despite a request from the state Supreme Court that it receive an 11 percent bump in pay. read more >
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Arkansas Supreme Court Seeks 11 Percent Pay Raise
Arkansas' highest court is seeking an 11 percent pay raise for its justices, a move the chief justice says is needed to be in line with what other state supreme courts in the country are paid. read more >
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Conservatives Fault Arkansas Supreme Court for Halting Executions
Arkansas' attempt to carry out its first execution in nearly 12 years wasn't thwarted by the type of liberal activist judge Republicans regularly bemoan, but by a state Supreme Court that's been the focus of expensive campaigns by conservative groups to reshape the judiciary. read more >
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Supreme Court Justices’ Data Offers a Peek Beyond Pay
The seven justices who sit on the Arkansas Supreme Court have a wide range of business investments, from property to tower rent for a radio station. read more >
by Mark Friedman -
Medical Pot, Trump Shape Arkansas Politics in ’17 (Andrew DeMillo Analysis)
From establishing the first medical pot program in the Bible Belt to the future of a hybrid Medicaid expansion program covering thousands, the state faces plenty of questions in the new year. read more >
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Arkansas Lawmakers Split on Reforms After Court Races
Arkansas lawmakers appeared split Wednesday on what changes, if any, are needed to how justices are chosen after conservative groups overwhelmed the state with TV ads and mailers in two state Supreme Court races this year. read more >
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Arkansas Races Prompt Look at Reforms (Andrew DeMillo Analysis)
After conservative outside groups spent big on a pair of Arkansas Supreme Court races with a barrage of attack ads and mailers, state lawmakers are measuring how much of an appetite there is for new campaign finance restrictions and ending the popular election of justices. read more >
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Asa Hutchinson: Arkansas Supreme Court Races Should Spur Reforms
Citing the record-breaking amount of spending by outside groups on two state Supreme Court races, Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he wants lawmakers to look at ending popular election of justices. read more >
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Dan Kemp Wins Arkansas Chief Justice Bid, Womack Prevails
Circuit Judge Dan Kemp won the race to lead the Arkansas Supreme Court Tuesday, in a campaign that had been marked by a record amount of outside spending targeting his rival. read more >
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Outside Groups’ Spending Pays Off in Arkansas Supreme Court Races
Nearly $1.3 million was spent on television ads in both races by the candidates and groups, more than double the previous record in Arkansas for a judicial election. read more >
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#ARPX: What to Watch In Today’s Arkansas Primary (Robert Coon & Blake Rutherford On Politics)
From the presidential race to implications for Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Robert Coon and Blake Rutherford to assess what we’ve seen — and will see — in the final hours of the Arkansas primary. read more >
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