United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas

United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
(W.D. Ark.)
Appeals to: Eighth Circuit
Established: March 3, 1851
Judges assigned: 3
Chief Judge: Paul K. Holmes III
http://www.arwd.uscourts.gov/

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. [1]

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

The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas is one of two federal judicial districts in Arkansas.[2] 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

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
23 Chief Judge Paul K. Holmes III Fort Smith 1951 2011–present 2012–present — Obama
24 District Judge Susan Owens Hickey El Dorado 1955 2011–present — — Obama
25 District Judge Timothy L. Brooks Fayetteville 1964 2014–present — — Obama
20 Senior Judge Jimm Larry Hendren Fayetteville 1940 1992–2012 1997–2012 2012–present G.H.W. Bush
21 Senior Judge Harry F. Barnes El Dorado 1932 1993–2008 — 2008–present Clinton
22 Senior Judge Robert T. Dawson Fort Smith 1938 1998–2009 — 2009–present Clinton

Former judges

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Ringo, DanielDaniel Ringo AR 1803–1873 1851[3]–1861 — — Taylor, Taylor resignation
2 Caldwell, Henry ClayHenry Clay Caldwell AR 1832–1915 1864–1871 — — Lincoln, Lincoln reassignment
3 Story, WilliamWilliam Story AR 1843–1921 1871–1874 — — Grant, Grant resignation
4 Parker, IsaacIsaac Parker AR 1838–1896 1875–1896 — — Grant, Grant death
5 Rogers, John HenryJohn Henry Rogers AR 1845–1911 1896–1911 — — Cleveland, Cleveland death
6 Youmans, Frank A.Frank A. Youmans AR 1860–1932 1911–1932 — — Taft, Taft death
7 Ragon, HeartsillHeartsill Ragon AR 1885–1940 1933–1940 — — Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt death
8 Lemley, Harry JacobHarry Jacob Lemley AR 1883–1965 1939–1958 1948–1958 1958–1965 Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt death
9 Miller, John E.John E. Miller AR 1888–1981 1941–1967 1958–1967 1967–1981 Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt death
10 Henley, Jesse SmithJesse Smith Henley AR 1917–1997 1959–1975 — — Eisenhower, Eisenhower reappointment
11 Harris, OrenOren Harris AR 1903–1997 1965–1976 1967–1973 1976–1997 Johnson, L.L. Johnson death
12 Williams, Paul X.Paul X. Williams AR 1908–1994 1967–1981 1973–1981 1981–1994 Johnson, L.L. Johnson death
13 Shell, Terry LeeTerry Lee Shell AR 1922–1978 1975–1978 — — Ford, Ford death
14 Roy, Elsijane TrimbleElsijane Trimble Roy AR 1916–2007 1977–1989 — 1989–1990 Carter, Carter reassignment
15 Arnold, Richard S.Richard S. Arnold AR 1936–2004 1978–1980 — — Carter, Carter reappointment
16 Howard, Jr., GeorgeGeorge Howard, Jr. AR 1924–2007 1980–1990 — — Carter, Carter reassignment
17 Waters, Hugh FranklinHugh Franklin Waters AR 1932–2002 1981–1997 1981–1997 1997–2002 Reagan, Reagan death
18 Arnold, Morris S.Morris S. Arnold AR 1941–present 1985–1992 — — Reagan, Reagan reappointment
19 Wright, Susan WebberSusan Webber Wright AR 1948–present 1990 — — Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush reassignment

Succession of seats

Seat 1
Seat reassigned from District of Arkansas on March 3, 1851 by 9 Stat. 594 (concurrent with Eastern District)
Ringo 1851–1861
Caldwell 1864–1871
Seat reassigned solely to the Eastern District on March 3, 1871 by 16 Stat. 471
Seat 2
Seat established on March 3, 1871 by 16 Stat. 471
Story 1871–1874
Parker 1875–1896
Rogers 1896–1911
Youmans 1911–1932
Ragon 1933–1940
Miller 1941–1967
Williams 1967–1981
Waters 1981–1997
Dawson 1998–2009
Holmes III 2011–present
Seat 3
Seat established on May 31, 1938 by 52 Stat. 584 (concurrent with Eastern District)
Lemley 1939–1958
Henley 1959–1975
Shell 1975–1978
R. Arnold 1978–1980
Howard, Jr. 1980–1990
Seat reassigned solely to Eastern District on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089
Seat 4
Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 (concurrent with Eastern District)
Harris 1965–1976
Roy 1977–1989
Wright 1990–1990
Seat reassigned solely to Eastern District on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089

Seat 5
Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 (temporary)
Seat made permanent on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089
M. Arnold 1985–1992
Barnes 1993–2008
Hickey 2011–present
Seat 6
Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089
Hendren 1992–2012
Brooks 2014–present

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/courts_district_ar.html U.S. District Courts of Arkansas, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center
  2. ↑ 28 U.S.C. § 83
  3. ↑ Initially appointed to the District of Arkansas in 1849 by Zachary Taylor; reassigned to both the Eastern District of Arkansas and the Western District of Arkansas in 1851.
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