Arkansas Supreme Court Decisions 2020

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed Defendant's conviction of first degree murder and sentence of life imprisonment, holding that the per se improper political activity of the prosecutor campaigning for a judicial position during…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se third petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Petitioner failed to demonstrate in the petition…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court dismissing charges against Defendant based on a speedy-trial violation, holding that the circuit court erred in finding that the necessary conditions for…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the circuit court's denial of Appellant's petition for postconviction relief pursuant to Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.5, holding that Appellant's trial attorneys were…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant failed to state a ground on which the writ could issue. Appellant was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant failed to state a claim for issuance of a writ of habeas corpus because…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's denial of Appellant's petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion when it treated the petition as an untimely Rule…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed in part the judgment of the circuit court denying the motion for summary judgment filed by Appellant Bear Chaney, in his official capacity as the Director of the Arkansas Assessment…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court and dismissed Plaintiffs' claims against Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA), holding that Ark. Const. art. V, 20 immunized ADFA from Plaintiffs'…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for a writ of habeas corpus, holding that the circuit court did not err in denying and dismissing the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court affirming the Pulaski County Assessor's denial of the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission's tax exemption for three land parcels, holding that because the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's petition for a writ of mandamus alleging that the Arkansas Department of Correction (ADC) miscalculated his parole eligibility, holding…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the grounds raised in Appellant's petition were not grounds for habeas…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal in this election dispute, holding that because the election at issue had already occurred, the case was moot. In this action, Appellant, a qualified voter, challenged the ballot…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court finding that Democratic Party nominee Jimmie Wilson had been convicted of crimes that disqualified him under Ark. Const. art. IV, 9 from serving in the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Here, the Supreme Court announced new protocols to maintain the safety of jurors, litigants, attorneys, court personnel and the public in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Court suspended until January 15, 2021…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of capital murder, holding that the trial court did not err when it did not bring jurors into open court after they posed a question during deliberations. Defendant was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Petitioner's claim for habeas relief but remanded the matter for resentencing, holding that Petitioner's sentence exceeded the statutory maximum for his…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the denial of Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that there were no grounds stated on which a writ of habeas corpus could be issued. Defendant was convicted of two…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's denial of Petitioner's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the chief justice had the constitutional authority to appoint a special judge, who had the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting Appellees' emergency petition fro declaratory judgment and writ of mandamus declaring David Pruitt ineligible to run for public office, holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court denying Defendant's pro se petition for a writ of error coram nobis, holding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying relief. Defendant…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions, holding that no prejudicial error occurred during the proceedings below. Defendant was convicted of capital murder and aggravated assault. On appeal, Defendant argued…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting summary judgment to Professional Background Screening Association, Inc. (PBSA) on PBSA's claim pursuant to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this tax refund case centering on Arkansas's excise tax on tobacco products other than cigarettes the Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court granting summary judgment for the Director of the Arkansas…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court dismissing Plaintiff's complaint alleging that the Washington County Court order reducing the number of townships and constable positions from fifteen…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting class certification of Plaintiffs' complaint, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in certifying the class. Plaintiffs were…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court convicting Defendant of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by certain persons and sentencing him to life imprisonment, holding that the circuit…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the trial court denying Appellant's pro se petition for a writ of error coram nobis, holding that Appellant failed to demonstrate that the trial court abused its discretion in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court's denial of Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the circuit court did not err in denying relief. Appellant was convicted of capital murder and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant failed to state a basis for issuance of the writ. Appellant was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting summary judgment in favor of the director of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) and dismissing American Honda Motor Company's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court dismissing Plaintiffs' illegal exaction suit that sought to enjoin the expenditure of highway funds collected pursuant to Amendment 91 of the Arkansas…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus filed in the county where Appellant was incarcerated pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101, holding…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus filed pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101, holding that none of Appellant's allegations were…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se second petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that none of Petitioner's claims established a ground…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Appellant's conviction of rape and second-degree sexual assault and sentence of life imprisonment and twenty years' imprisonment, respectively, holding that there was no prejudicial error in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant's claim was not cognizable in a writ of habeas corpus. Appellant pleaded…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, motion to recall mandate to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to file a petition for writ of error coram nobis, and joinder of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se second petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Petitioner did not establish a Brady violation…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to allow Petitioner to file a petition for writ of error coram nobis in his criminal case, holding that Petitioner's claim…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the trial court denying Defendant's pro se motion for an independent action to set aside his conviction for fraud, holding that the trial court did not err in denying the motion…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court granted Petitioner's pro se motion for rule on clerk and denied Petitioner's pro se motion for transcript, petition for writ of mandamus, and motion for appointment of counsel, holding that Petitioner…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of one count of rape, holding that there was no prejudicial error below. Specifically, the Supreme Court held (1) there was substantial evidence to support the jury's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court in favor of Plaintiff in this medical malpractice case, holding that the circuit court erred by striking and removing Defendants' constitutional right to a…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this election action, the Supreme Court affirmed as modified the decision of the circuit court dismissing David Tollett's complaint in intervention with prejudice, holding that the circuit court did not clearly err in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's denial of Stay Strong, Status Quo's appeal of a certified election petition, holding that there was no error on the part of the circuit court. In this election petition,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting a motion to dismiss filed by the Arkansas Secretary of State Appellant's complaint seeking to strike two proposed constitutional amendments, Issue 2 and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of second-degree sexual assault and sentence of sixty months' imprisonment, holding that the victim's therapy records were protected from disclosure by the absolute…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's three pro se petitions for a writ of error coram nobis, holding that the circuit court did not err by not granting relief. Appellant pled…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions for first-degree murder, first-degree escape, and employment a firearm to commit the murder, holding that there was no prejudicial error. Specifically, the Supreme…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of first-degree murder and sentence of life imprisonment plus fifteen years for a firearm enhancement, holding that there was no prejudicial error in the proceedings…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se second petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Petitioner failed to establish grounds for the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's judgment denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant failed to state a ground for the writ. Following a bench…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Petitioner failed to raise claims that are cognizable in coram…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court denying Appellant's petition for writ of habeas corpus and petition for postconviction relief filed pursuant to Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.1, holding that the trial…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions but reversed the amount of assessed costs, holding that the court costs billed to Defendant were excessive according to statute and that no other prejudicial error was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court convincing Defendant of first-degree murder and sentencing him to life imprisonment and a sentencing enhancement, holding that the circuit court did not err or…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's petition for a writ of certiorari and his alternative request to recall the mandate, holding that Petitioner was not entitled to relief. Petitioner was convicted of capital murder…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court denying Defendant's pro se motion to correct an illegal sentence under Ark. Code Ann. 16-90-111, holding that the motion was untimely. In 1990, Defendant was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of capital murder and sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, holding that there was no prejudicial error in the proceedings…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of three counts of rape, holding that there was no prejudicial error in the proceedings below. After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of three counts of rape and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant stated no ground on which the writ could issue. Appellant was convicted…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant did not state a ground for the writ. Appellant was found…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed Appellant's appeal from the circuit court's denial of Appellant's petition to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-90-111, holding that this Court lacked jurisdiction over…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Defendant's pro se petition for a writ of error coram nobis, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in denying relief. Defendant…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Appellant failed to demonstrate that the trial court abused its…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court granted in part and denied in part Petitioner's pro se petition for writ of mandamus in which Petitioner contended that circuit court judge Dion Wilson failed to act on a petition for a previously filed…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed as moot Count I of Petitioners' complaint alleging that a proposed ballot petition's ballot title and popular name were invalid, holding that, in light of the holding of a companion case…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court granted in part and dismissed in part an original action brought by Petitioners challenging the sufficiency of a state-wide petition to refer Act 579 of 2019 to the people of Arkansas on the November 3,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed as moot Appellees' motion to dismiss the appeal by Citizens for a Better Pope County, a local option ballot question committee, holding that the claims set forth in Citizens' appeal were…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed as moot Plaintiff's appeal from the judgment of the circuit court dismissing Plaintiff's complaint challenging a referendum petition preventing Act 579 of 2019 from becoming law, holding that…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this action involving two initiative petitions proposing constitutional amendments that Petitioners sought to have placed on the November 2020 election ballot the Supreme Court denied in part and dismissed in part…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this action involving two initiative petitions proposing constitutional amendments that Petitioners sought to have placed on the November 2020 election ballot the Supreme Court dismissed in part Petitioners' petition…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's petition seeking permission to file a writ of error coram nobis in the trial court, holding that Petitioner failed to demonstrate that he was entitled to coram nobis relief.…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the circuit court did not err when it dismissed the petition without holding a…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court dismissing Appellant's petition for writ of habeas corpus and denied the motions subsequently filed by Appellant to amend his reply brief, holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to file a petition for writ of error coram nobis in his criminal case, holding that the State did not violate Brady v. Maryland,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed Defendant's conviction of two specifications of cruelty and maltreatment and two specifications of failure to obey an order or regulation entered by the Arkansas Army National Guard in a…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court admitting, at Defendant's sentencing trial for the murder of his wife, a Defendant's letter requesting the proceeds of his wife's insurance policy, holding…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court concluding that Regions Bank and Optimum Agriculture, LLC had lien priority to crop proceeds and that Optimum Agriculture, LLC was entitled to a statutory…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the circuit court did not determining that Appellant failed to state…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court certifying two classes pursuant to Ark. R. Civ. P. 23, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in finding that the classes met the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus and denied Appellant's petition for writ of certiorari, holding that the circuit…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed Petitioner's pro se third petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a writ of error coram nobis, holding that this petition was an abuse of the writ. Petitioner was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to allow him to file a petition for writ of error coram nobis in his criminal case, holding that neither of Petitioner's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court dismissing Appellant's petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that reversal was not warranted because Appellant failed to establish a meritorious…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant stated no ground on which the writ could issue under Arkansas…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for various drug and drug-related offenses and sentencing him to an aggregate term of forty years' imprisonment, holding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Defendant's motion for a new trial based on postconviction DNA testing results, holding that the circuit court did not err in denying the motion and in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court in favor of Plaintiff on her slip and fall action, holding that the circuit court did not err or abuse its discretion. Specifically, the Supreme Court held…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this action challenging the decision of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission disqualifying Carpenter Farms Medical Group, LLC's application for a marijuana-cultivation facility the Supreme Court affirmed in part…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court affirming amended integration orders entered by the Arkansas Oil & Gas Commission (AOGC), holding that the AOGC did not exceed its statutory authority in granting…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Defendant's petition for permission to file a writ of error coram nobis in the trial court, holding that the petition contained no allegations of trial error warranting coram nobis…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and theft of property, holding that the evidence was sufficient to support the convictions and that the circuit court did not…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant did not demonstrate clear error in the circuit court's dismissal of his…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court remanded this matter - which regarded Petitioner's pro se motions seeking to belatedly appeal his conviction, permission to proceed in forma paupers, and appointment of counsel - to the trial court for…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court remanded this matter involving Defendant's motion for belated appeal, holding that the proper disposition of this case requires findings of fact, which must be made in the circuit court. Defendant was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant did not state a ground in the petition on which the writ could issue. In…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed Defendant's appeal of the circuit court's dismissal of his petition to correct an illegal sentence, holding that the appeal must be dismissed because the petition was filed in the circuit…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the trial court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus seeking scientific testing of evidence from his criminal case, holding that Appellant failed to…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this appeal returning to the Supreme Court for a third time challenging an award of attorney's fees to Plaintiff in his illegal exaction lawsuit that successfully challenged the constitutionality of certain…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to Act 1780 of 2001, Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-201 to -208, holding that because Appellant had…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the ruling of the circuit court denying the motion filed by Asa Hutchinson, the Governor of the State of Arkansas, to dismiss an action filed by Appellee, an inmate in the Arkansas Department…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that there was no error. Specifically, the Supreme Court held that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's "motion for credit for time spent in custody," holding that the circuit court's findings were not clearly erroneous. In his motion,…

Justia Opinion Summary: In a certified question of law regarding the requirement for creditors to comply strictly with the Arkansas Statutory Foreclosure Act the Supreme Court held that Ark. Code Ann. 18-50-104(b)(4) requires disclosure of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant stated no ground on which the writ could issue. Appellant was convicted…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for declaratory judgment, holding that Appellant could not use a declaratory-judgment action to collaterally attack his…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed Appellant's appeal from an order denying his pro se petition for permission to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court denying Appellant's claims for postconviction relief raised under Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.1, holding that none of counsel's alleged errors created a reasonable…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's motion asking the Court to proceed with a belated appeal of a judgment reflecting his conviction on drug-related charges, holding that the trial court did not err in finding that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Appellant's conviction of two counts of aggravated robbery, one count of theft of property, and one count of possession of a firearm by certain persons, holding that substantial evidence…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court denying Appellant's petition for postconviction relief filed pursuant to Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.5, holding that the performance of Appellant's trial counsel was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's second petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis and second petition for writ of certiorari, holding that Petitioner…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101, holding that Appellant stated no ground in the petition on…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's second petition requesting permission to proceed in the trial court with a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Petitioner's proposed attack on the judgment had no…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed Appellant's appeal from the circuit court's orders denying her motions to declare Ark. Code Ann. 5-62-106 (disposition of animal) and Ark. Code Ann. 5-62-111 (prevention of cruelty)…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Appellant's conviction of capital murder, holding that the evidence was sufficient to sustain the conviction and that the circuit court did not err in denying Appellant's motion to suppress…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's motion for leave to file a petition for writ of error cram knobs, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in declining…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's petition to proceed in forma pauperis on a petition for writ of mandamus and a motion for declaratory judgment, holding that Appellant…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the judgment of the circuit court dismissing Appellant's action against Baptist Health appellees and John Hearnsberger, M.D., holding that the circuit court abused…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the circuit court did not err in denying the petition. Appellant was found guilty…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Appellant's appeal from the order of the circuit court denying his petition to proceed in forma pauperis on the grounds that Appellant failed to state a colorable cause of action in a petition…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court convicting Defendant of two counts of rape, one count of kidnapping, and other offenses, holding that the circuit court did not err in denying Defendant's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of capital murder and sentence of death, holding that the circuit court did not err. Specifically, the Supreme Court held (1) the circuit court did not err in refusing…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Defendant's motion for mistrial, holding that the circuit court's decision to admit into evidence a translation of a letter Defendant wrote in Spanish…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the vacated the opinion of the court of appeals affirming the decision of the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission affirming and adopting the findings of the administrative law judge (ALJ)…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that because Appellant did not establish either that the sentencing orders…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant stated no ground in the petition on which the writ could issue. Appellant…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellants' motion to compel arbitration pursuant to the arbitration agreement contained in the parties' installment-sales contract, holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission concluding that parent companies of a direct employer are immune from tort liability under the exclusive remedy statute, Ark. Code…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se second petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court so that she may file a petition for writ of error coram nobis in her criminal case, holding that Petitioner's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's petition to proceed in forma pauperis in a civil rights and medical malpractice lawsuit, holding that the circuit court improperly relied upon…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court denying Defendant's petition to correct an illegal sentence "imposed in an illegal manner," filed pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-90-111, holding that the trial…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus filed under Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101, holding that Appellant stated no ground in the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101, holding that Appellant stated no ground in the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's fourth pro se petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the circuit court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Petitioner failed to demonstrate a fundamental…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to allow him to file a petition for writ of error coram nobis in his criminal case, holding that Petitioner did not meet…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court finding that Defendant had the capacity to knowingly and intelligently waive his postconviction remedies, including his Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.5 petition, was not…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the circuit court's decision granting summary judgment for Dr. Martin T. Faitak and dismissing J. David John's complaint alleging claims of medical negligence and other torts, holding that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Father's petition to modify a joint custody order and give him primary custody of his minor daughter and denying Mother's petition for attorney fees,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and sentence and granted Defendant's counsel's motion to withdraw, holding that no error occurred in the proceedings and that there were no nonfrivolous issues that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of first-degree murder and sentence of life imprisonment, holding that the circuit court did not err in the proceedings below. Specifically, the Court held that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court resentencing Defendant to life imprisonment after his original life-without-parole sentence was vacated due to Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. 460 (2012), holding…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court denying the City of Fort Smith's motion to compel class notice on Plaintiff's claims alleging illegal exaction and unjust enrichment against on the ground that…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this insurance dispute, the Supreme Court reversed the orders and judgment of the circuit court in favor of Edna Lyle Lovelace, holding that the circuit court erred in determining that Shelter Mutual Insurance…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Appellant's petition for rehearing of the Court's decision affirming the circuit court's denial of Appellant's petition for postconviction DNA testing under Act 1780, holding that Appellant's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the orders of the circuit court denying Appellant's two pro se petitions challenging his 1993 conviction for first-degree murder and sentence of life imprisonment, holding that the circuit…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court denying Appellant's pro se petition for postconviction relief filed pursuant to Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.1, holding that the trial court did not clearly err when it…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of six counts of rape, holding that no reversible error occurred in the proceedings below. Defendant was sentenced for life imprisonment for each count of rape, with the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court rejecting Appellant's proffered jury instructions at his resentencing hearing, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion. At age seventeen,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting Appellant a divorce, dividing the parties' marital property, and awarding alimony to Appellee, holding that the circuit court's rulings were not clearly…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's order denying Appellant's petition for a writ of habeas corpus filed pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101, holding that Appellant did not state a ground for the…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this interlocutory appeal, the Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court denying BHC Pinnacle Point Hospital, LLC's motion to compel arbitration of a class action complaint filed by Employees, individually…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101, holding that Appellant stated no ground in the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's duplicate petitions for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the petitions failed to allege a basis for the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Appellant failed to state a basis for issuance of the writ. Appellant pleaded…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed Defendant's conviction of one count of rape and two counts of second-degree sexual assault and sentence of life imprisonment plus forty years, holding that the circuit court erred in overruling…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying and dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the circuit court did not err in rejecting Appellant's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court dismissing Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that the circuit court did not err in dismissing Appellant's petition. In dismissing…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court disqualifying district judge Adam Weeks from the ballot for the judicial office of the Third Judicial District, Division Three, Circuit Judge in the March 3, 2020…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for rape, third-degree domestic battery, and other convictions, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in admitting certain testimony and that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's order granting summary judgment to the Arkansas State Police (ASP) based on sovereign immunity and dismissing Appellants' suit for declaratory and injunctive relief alleging…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court dismissing Plaintiff's illegal exaction suit against the City of Blytheville and its Sewer Department (collectively, the City), holding that the circuit court…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court denying Petitioner's petition for writ of habeas corpus, holding that Petitioner did not meet his burden of demonstrating that he was being illegally detained…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed Appellant's appeal from the Jefferson County Circuit Court's denial of his pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus filed pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101 to -123, holding that a writ of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's pro se petition to recall the mandate to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Petitioner's allegations failed…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's order denying Defendant's petition for scientific testing of evidence, holding that the circuit court's decision denying the petition was not clearly erroneous. Defendant…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's amended petition for postconviction relief pursuant to Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.5, holding that there was no error in the circuit court's order…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court refusing to instruct the jury on two instructions proffered by Defendant at a resentencing hearing, holding that the circuit court did not err or abuse its…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition and amended petition to correct an illegal sentence under Ark. Code Ann. 16-90-111, holding that Appellant did not establish…

Justia Opinion Summary: On interlocutory appeal, the Supreme Court remanded this matter involving the circuit court's grant of Plaintiff's motion for class certification and denying, in part, Defendant's objections and motion for protective…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 16-112-101, holding that Appellant stated no basis for the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the denial by the trial court of Appellant's pro se petition for postconviction relief pursuant to Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.1, holding that the trial court did not err by denying Appellant's…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's petition to proceed in forma pauperis after seeking judicial review of Arkansas Department of Correction disciplinary proceedings under the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court denying the motion filed by the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) to dismiss Plaintiffs' amended complaint alleging violations of the Arkansas Civil…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court concluding that the district court's assessment of installment fees violated due process, holding that the circuit court correctly denied a directed verdict on…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court dismissing Appellant's wrongful death complaint as barred by the applicable statute of limitations, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting a motion for attorneys' fees filed by Plaintiff, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, holding that the circuit court did not abuse…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's order granting Tyray Carr's petition for writ of mandamus and declaratory judgment declaring James Winfield Wyatt ineligible to file for, be elected to, or hold the office…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's order finding that Emily White Lengefeld was a certified candidate for the position of Arkansas Court of Appeals District 4, Position 2, holding that the circuit court…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's habeas corpus petition challenging a 1983 circuit court judgment reflecting Appellant's guilty plea to first-degree murder and the life…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to file a petition for writ of error coram nobis and audita querela in his criminal case, holding that Petitioner's claims did…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's petition to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for a writ of error coram nobis, holding that Petitioner's claims were not cognizable in coram nobis…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court denied Petitioner's petition seeking to proceed in the trial court with a petition under Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.1, in which he would challenge a judgment reflecting his sentence of life imprisonment…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed and remanded in part the circuit court's order awarding damages under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act to Alexander Apartments, LLC and certain tenants after determining that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's dismissal of Plaintiff's complaint filed against Arkansas prison officials under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act and state tort law for allegedly depriving him of a…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court denying Appellant's petition for writ of error coram nobis, holding that Appellant did not show an abuse of discretion in the denial of the writ. In 1979,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the circuit court's order granting a motion to dismiss filed by the Arkansas Governor and Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission Deputy Director and dismissing…