Arkansas Supreme Courtroom Justice Karen Baker on Friday introduced that she is operating for chief justice of the excessive courtroom subsequent 12 months.
“I imagine my expertise at each stage of the judiciary is unmatched and I’m presently the senior-most skilled justice on the Arkansas Supreme Courtroom. I need to proceed to place that have to work for the individuals of Arkansas,” Baker stated in a information launch asserting her run.
Chief Justice John Dan Kemp, 71, stated throughout a telephone interview that he intends to retire on the finish of his time period. He famous that he must relinquish his retirement advantages beneath state regulation if he sought reelection.
Throughout an interview, Baker, 59, stated she was not conscious of anybody else presently operating for the chief justice place.
Jon Gilmore, a marketing campaign advisor for Justice Barbara Webb, stated throughout a telephone interview that Webb “has been strongly inspired by lots of people to run for chief justice.” Gilmore stated Webb, 66, intends to decide within the close to future.
If elected, Baker stated she hoped to increase efforts to digitize data in district and circuit courts throughout the state.
“I need to focus extra on bringing us into the present century,” she stated. “We have made some advances within the digital submitting of data. … I feel we have to work on getting all of Arkansas on-line for individuals to go looking.”
If Baker is unsuccessful in her bid for chief justice, she is going to retain her place as an affiliate justice on the courtroom. She was reelected to the courtroom final 12 months for an eight-year time period.
Baker has served on the Supreme Courtroom since 2011 after being elected to finish the time period of Justice Annabelle Imber Tuck, who retired in 2009. Baker was reelected to Place 6 for the primary time in 2014.
Baker serves because the excessive courtroom’s liaison to the state Board of Legislation Examiners, the Persevering with Authorized Schooling Board and the Judges and Legal professionals Help Program.
Earlier than her election to the Supreme Courtroom, she sat on the state Courtroom of Appeals and served as a circuit and juvenile decide.
Baker, of Clinton, obtained a bachelor’s diploma from Arkansas Tech College in Russellville and a regulation diploma from the College of Arkansas at Little Rock’s William H. Bowen Faculty of Legislation.
Kemp was elected chief justice in 2016.
Judges who’re eligible to retire and serve past the time period by which they flip 70 should forfeit their retirement advantages with the Arkansas Judicial Retirement System beneath state regulation. Judges not eligible to retire at age 70 can proceed to serve till they full the time period by which they turn out to be eligible with out dropping advantages, nonetheless.
It is uncommon for judges to forfeit their retirement advantages by serving longer than state regulation permits.
The election for chief justice of the excessive courtroom will likely be March 5, in keeping with Baker’s information launch. The seven justices on the Supreme Courtroom are elected in statewide, nonpartisan elections.
Info for this text was contributed by Michael R. Wickline of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.