The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas (in case citations, W.D. Ark.) is a federal court in the Eighth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
The District was established on March 3, 1851 with the division of the state into an Eastern and Western district.
The U.S. Courthouse & Post Office in Texarkana is shared with the Eastern District of Texas, making it the sole federal courthouse located in two states and location of two federal districts.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Arkansas represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current United States Attorney is Kenneth Elser.
Organization of the court
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas - United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas is one of two federal judicial districts in Arkansas. Court for the District is held at El Dorado, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Hot Springs, and Texarkana.
El Dorado Division comprises the following counties: Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Columbia, Ouachita, and Union.
Fayetteville Division comprises the following counties: Benton, Madison, and Washington.
Fort Smith Division comprises the following counties: Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Polk, Scott, and Sebastian.
Harrison Division comprises the following counties: Baxter, Boone, Carroll, Marion, Newton, and Searcy.
Hot Springs Division comprises the following counties: Clark, Garland, Hot Spring, Montgomery, and Pike.
Texarkana Division comprises the following counties: Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, and Sevier.
Current judges
Former judges
Chief judges
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court, and preside over any panel on which they serve unless circuit judges are also on the panel. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
See also
- Courts of Arkansas
- List of United States federal courthouses in Arkansas
Notes
External links
- United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
- United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas
