Arkansas Supreme Court

The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court of the state of Arkansas in the United States. It was created by the state's first constitution, adopted when Arkansas was admitted to the union in 1836, which provided for three judges, one styled Chief Justice, chosen by the General Assembly; Daniel Ringo, Townsend Dickinson and Thomas J. Lacy were the first to serve, with Ringo as first Chief Justice. The 1874 constitution kept a three judge court but allowed the legislature to enlarge it, and the bench grew to five judges in 1889 and to seven in 1925, with seven judges whose terms began in 1927. Since Amendment 80 took effect in July 2001 the court holds statewide appellate jurisdiction and general superintending control over all courts of the state. Its seven justices are elected in statewide non-partisan races to eight-year staggered terms, with vacancies filled by gubernatorial appointment. Since 1938 it has also regulated the practice of law, and in 2009 it became the first state court to treat the electronic version of its opinions as the official one.