In Re Response to Covid-19 pandemic/vaccine Eligibility

2021 Ark. 50

• Court: Supreme Court of Arkansas
• Decided: March 4, 2021
• Status: Published

Opinion

Digitally signed by Susan P. Williams Reason: I attest to the accuracy Cite as 2021 Ark. 50 and integrity of this document Date: 2021.03.04 10:21:12 -06'00' SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS IN RE RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 Opinion deliveredl March 4,2021 PANDEMIC/VACCINE ELIGIBILITY

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of Arkansas

implemented emergency precautions to help protect the public from unnecessary risks. This

response included the unprecedented suspension ofjury trials in Arkansas. See In re Response to

COVID-19 Pandemic,2021. Ark. 30 (per curiam). This suspension has been necessary to protect

the safety of jurors, litigants, attorneys, judges, court personnel, and the pubiic. Despite the

pandemic, attorneys, circuit clerks, district courts, circuit courts, and staff engage daily with

numerous members of the public to protect these citizens'constitutional rights. These essential

justice-system workers have placed themselves in harm's way for nearly a year, with severe

consequences.

The Governor of the State of Arkansas carefully implemented a vaccination plan for the

State and for essential workers in the legislative and executive branches ofgovernment. It is the

dury of this court to define the essential workers within the justice system and where each should

be placed in the priority schedule. This court, through the ChiefJustice and senior staff has

received updates from the Governor's Office and the Arkansas Department of Health

throughout the pandemic as we addressed concerns unique to our branch of government. This

week the Governor expanded vaccine eligbiliry to include more essential workers. The

Department of Homeland Security identified state-court judges and staff as essenrial critical

infrastructure workers. I The Arkansas Supreme Court, after careful review, has categorized the following as

essential workers in Phase 1-B and orders them eligible for the vaccine immediately. We will

add others as we monitor the Governor's statewide rollout.

Circuit court judges with criminal dockets along with their trial-court assistants, court reporcers, and other judicial stafi

Circuit court judges with juvenile dockets along with their trial-court assistants, court reporters, and other judicial stafl including juvenile officers;

District court judges, district court clerks, and their staff

Clerk of the Supreme Court and staff;

Court-employed securiry offi cers;

. AII circuit and county clerks and their staffi

Administrative Office of the Courts staff who have regular contact wirh the public or other branches of government;

Prosecuting attorneys, depury prosecuting attorneys, and all public defenden and their respective stafE

o Attorneys with in-person appearances pending in the criminal division orjuvenile division of circuit court; and

. Jury panel members slated to begin serving after April 30,2027. It is so ORDERED. FOR THE COURT:

lSee Guidance on the Essential Critical In cture'Workforce: Ensuring Communiry and Narional Resilience in COVID-19 Response, available at

archived at https://perma.ccl39DR-8CWQ 2