In Re Administrative Plans for Circuit Courts

2025 Ark. 218

• Court: Supreme Court of Arkansas
• Decided: December 11, 2025
• Status: Published

Opinion

Cite as 2025 Ark. 218 SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS

Opinion Delivered: December 11, 2025 IN RE ADMINISTRATIVE PLANS FOR CIRCUIT COURTS

PER CURIAM

Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 14, administrative plans have been submitted

by all judicial circuits except the Seventh Circuit. The court has carefully considered each

plan and, upon review, believes the following plans generally meet the requirements of

Administrative Order No. 14: Second Circuit, Third Circuit, Fourth Circuit, Sixth Circuit,

Eighth-North Circuit, Eighth-South Circuit, Ninth-East Circuit, Ninth-West Circuit,

Tenth Circuit, Eleventh-East Circuit, Eleventh-West Circuit, Twelfth Circuit, Thirteenth

Circuit, Fourteenth Circuit, Fifteenth Circuit, Sixteenth Circuit, Seventeenth Circuit,

Eighteenth-East Circuit, Eighteenth-West Circuit, Nineteenth-East Circuit, Nineteenth-

West Circuit, Twentieth Circuit, Twenty-First Circuit, Twenty-Second Circuit, and

Twenty-Third Circuit. These administrative plans are approved and shall be effective

January 1, 2026.

Before the plans submitted by the First Circuit and Fifth Circuit can be approved,

the court requires amendment. Our approval of the foregoing plans is limited to the requirements outlined in

Administrative Order No. 14 (3). We do not take a position on the validity or enforceability

of any other provisions of the plans. Additionally, we note that this court disfavors local

rules. See In re Changes to the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure, 294 Ark. 664, 742 S.W.2d

551 (1987). Thus, to the extent that a provision in an approved plan is alleged to be in

conflict with a court rule, administrative order, statute, or caselaw, the provision remains

subject to legal challenge and publication of the plan does not alter this.