If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT, .. ' .~~ .... ·.c--·'~~·-:-·I i ".' .... · ... .,. I ~-=-' . .::.-...... n:::e;nG;:::ACt:I:w=a: _~,_.~~- .-"~ JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS 975 JUDICIAL STATISTICS Compiled By The Office of EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS NCJRS M~'( ~ 5 1979 1975 JUDICIAL STATISTICS Compiled By The Office of EXECUTIVE SECRETARY "To be effective, judicial administration must not be leadfooted." Frankfurter, J. Cobbledick v. United States, 309 U.S. 323, at 325 (1940) iii CHIEF' JUSTICE CARLETON HARRIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY C. R. HUIE COURT PLANNER 150'.3715.700' STATE OF ARKANSAS LARRY JEGLEY 150'·37'·22915 DEPUTY EXECUTIVE SECRETARY JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT RESEARCH COORDINATOR JACK JARRETT JEAN LANGFORD 150'·37'·22915 JUSTICE BUILDING 501.37'·22915 CHIEF. A"'ALYTICAL SERVICES INTER·AGENCY COORDINATOR JIM ~IENDERSON LITTLE ROCK 72201 TIM MASSANELLI 1501·371·22915 50'.371·22915 To the Honorable, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas,; For its Bleventh Annual Report the office of Executive Secretary of the Judicial Department submits her.ewith a report of the activities of the courts of Arkansas and statistical data covering the calendar year 1975 together with comparative data of previous years. It is hoped that the contents of the report will be of value to you in making policy decisions as Administrative Director of Arkansas courts, and of assist~nce to the executive and legislative branches of the government in their deliberations. Respectfully, --/J~L vL-cS C. R. Huie Executive Secretary v SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK CARLETON HARRIS To the Honorable David Pryor, Governor and Members of the seventieth General Assembly Submitted herewith is the Eleventh Annual Report of the Executive Secretary of the Judicial Department of Arkansas. The Report includes court statistics for the year 1975 with comparative data for previous years. It will be noted that the 479 appeals handled by the Supreme Court during 1975 represents an all time high and an increase of 8.9 percent over the level recorded during 1974. Criminal appeals totaled 165 during 1975 and account for a major part of the increase, rising by 60.6 percent over the level of 127 recorded during 1974 and surpassing the old record set in 1972 by nearly 15 percent. Justices of the Supreme Court wrote an average of over 65 opinions each in 1975 as compared with an average of 58 during 1974, substantially above the national average for states \'.'ithout an intermediate appellate court. Despite the heCl,vy workload. the Court remains current. The workloaJ, in Circuit and Chancery Courts continued to set new records, total filings in Circuit Court reaching an all time high of 32,795 an increase of 14.5 percent over 1974 and Chancery filings (excluding probate) totaled 28,791, 2.6 percent over 1974. In spite of record terminations in both Circuit and Chancery Court total backlog increased slightly. Work of the Supreme Court Committees on Model Jury Instructions and new Rules of Civil Proced~re is progressing at a satisfactory pace and it is anticipated that reports from these committees will be forth­ coming in 1977. Assignment of judges continues to be a most valuable asset in providing temporary relief in meeting the problem of docket congestion and in providing flexibility of administration. It is hoped that the Report herewith submitted will be of assistance to you in your further consideration of matters affecting the administra­ tion of justice in Arkansas. Respectfully submitted, @,-(lJ2___ ~ Carleton Harris Chief Justice vi TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD ................................................................... ix Arkansas Judicial System Chart ............................................ xi THE SUPREME COU~T ......................................................... 1 Supreme Court Statistics ................................................... 6 Workload Graph ............................................................ 9 GENERAL JURISDICTION COURTS ............................................. 12 Workload Graphs .......................................................... 16 Assignment of Judges ..................................................... 21 Comparative Tables ....................................................... 24 Prosecuting Ai.~orneys ..................................................... 30 Public Defenders .......................................................... 35 Court Repurters ........................................................... 37 Clerks of the Courts ....................................................... 38 Circuit Court Statistics ..................................................... 41 Chancery Court Statistics .................................................. 57 Probate Court Statistics .................................................... 69 LIMITED JURISDICTION COURTS .............................................. 72 County Judges .................................................. ........ 75 Juvenile Court Referees ................................................... 77 Courts of Common Pleas .................................................. 79 Municipal Courts .......................................................... 80 Municipal Court Statistics .................................................. 84 City and Police Courts ..................................................... 87 City and Police Court Statistics ............................................. 88 Justice of the Peace Courts ................................................ 92 Justice of the Peace Court Statistics ........................................ 93 vii -----,----------------------------------------------------- Justice is the supreme !,irluf' u,hic!t harmonizes all other virtues. PLATO FOREWORD The Arkansas Court System, established by the A partial unification of the c.ourt system occured in Constitution of 1874, still maintains separate courts of 1965 when the General Ass('ltnbly passed Act 496 in law and equity. Judges of courts of law are designated which the Chief Justice WdS designated the ad­ Circuit Judges and those of courts of equity are ministrative director of the Judicial Department and designated Chancellors. Circuit Judges are elected to administrative i1ead of the entire court system. Act the bench by the voters of their respective JudiCial 496 also prov;ded forthe appointment of an Executive Circuits every four years. Chano'liors are likewise Secretary, by the Chief Justice and with the approval of the State Judicial Council, wh,Jse duties consist of as­ elected by popular votr:;! in t:;n' ,.,~ pective Chancery Circuits to terms of ,)ffk',' ·-;f s!)\ years. sisting the Chief Justice: iq carrying out his ad· ministrative responsibiliti~:s Generally speaking, ClrcuitJudges preside overcivil One of the r;hief fun':tjon~> (If the office of Executive and criminal cases and hear a~,peals from courts of limited jurisdiction. Chancellors hear cases involving Secretary is the collection, analysis, and publication of domestic relations matters, land disputes, reciprocal judicial statistics The JudIcial Department of Arkan· support actions, and other cases where equitable sas also conduc.ts contuluiilF: judicial education relief is sought. They also serve as Probate Judges, programs for all levels of personnel in the State's court hearing cases invoiving Wills, guardianships, adop· system through assistance from the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration and the Arkansas Public tions, mental commitments, and oth(~r such probate Safety program matters. Appeals from Circuit dnd Ci1Clllcery Courts are taken The statistics contClint:!d in this repot L CAre supplied directly to the Arkansas Supreme Court, there being through quarter!v renorts from the clerks of courts of no intermediate court !If appeals in the Arkansas general jurisdiction and through semi-annual reports from courts of limited jurisdiction. Clerks of these judicial system. courts are assisted from time to time by the staffofthe The Arkansas public is als(. served by courts of Judicial Department. limited jurisdiction. which are descnbed later in this Analysis and planning are basic to any well­ Report. Perhaps the most Important of these courts managed operation. Through the collection and are the Municipal Courts, which number 92 and are dissemination of the data contained in this report, the only courts of limited Jurisdiction requiringthatthe analysis and planning are expedited in the judge be an attorney (some County Courts are, management of the Arkansas court system. however, served by juvenile referees who are at· torneys). Generally speaking, jurisdiction of a Municipal Court is countywide, and extends to traffic matters, misdemeanor criminal cases, and civil cases when the amount in controversy does not exceed COURT ACTIVITY $300. As noted earl!er, ilppeals from courts of limited jurisdiction are to Circuit Court. The workload of the Supreme Court reached a near­ record level during 1975, setting a record inthe area of This Report, covering all phases of the Arkansas criminal appeals. Filings in courts of general juris­ judicial system, carries statistics on courts of general diction rose to record highs, as did filings in courts of jurisdiction and courts of limited jurisdiction in limited jurisdiction. separate divisions. Statistics regarding the offices of Public Defender in the State a re a Iso carried in order to reflect the extent