United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
(E.D. Ark.)
Appeals to Eighth Circuit
Established March 3, 1851
Judges assigned 5
Chief judge J. Leon Holmes
Official site

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas (in case citations, E.D. Ark.) is the United States District Court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties: Arkansas, Chicot, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead, Conway, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Dehsa, Drew, Faulkner, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Lonoke, Mississippi, Monroe, Perry, Phillips, Poinsett, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sharpe, St, Francis, Stone, Van Buren, White, Woodruff, and Yell.

Appeals from the Eastern District of Arkansas are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for 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).

Contents

History

Arkansas was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, and became part of the Territory of Missouri in 1812, when Louisiana became a state. When Missouri became a state in 1819, a territorial government, including a territorial court, was organized for Arkansas, taking effect on July 4, 1819.[1] The United States District Court for the District of Arkansas was established with a single judge when Arkansas became a state, on June 15, 1836, by 5 Stat. 50, 51.[1][2] The court was subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on March 3, 1851, by 9 Stat. 594.[2][3][4]

Jurisdiction

The District is currently divided into five separate divisions: Northern, Eastern, Western, Jonesboro, and Pine Bluff.

Current judges

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
22 Chief Judge James Leon Holmes Little Rock 1951 2004–present 2005–present — G.W. Bush
19 District Judge Susan Webber Wright Little Rock 1948 1990–present 1998–2005 — G.H.W. Bush
23 District Judge Brian Stacy Miller Little Rock 1967 2008–present — — G.W. Bush
24 District Judge D. Price Marshall Jr. Little Rock 1963 2010–present — — Obama
— District Judge (vacant) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a)
11 Senior District Judge Garnett Thomas Eisele Little Rock 1923 1970–1991 1975–1991 1991–present Nixon
20 Senior District Judge William Roy Wilson, Jr. Little Rock 1939 1993–2008 (none) 2008–present Clinton
21 Senior District Judge James Maxwell Moody Little Rock 1940 1995–2008 (none) 2008–present Clinton

Former judges

# Judge State Born/Died Active service Term as Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Ringo, DanielDaniel Ringo AR 1803–1873 1851[5]–1861 (none) (none) Taylor, Taylor resignation
2 Caldwell, Henry ClayHenry Clay Caldwell AR 1832–1915 1864–1890 (none) (none) Lincoln, Lincoln appointment to circuit court
3 Williams, John A.John A. Williams AR 1835–1900 1890–1900 (none) (none) Harrison, Harrison death
4 Trieber, JacobJacob Trieber AR 1853–1927 1900[6]–1927 (none) (none) McKinley, McKinley death
5 Martineau, John EllisJohn Ellis Martineau AR 1873–1937 1928–1937 (none) (none) Coolidge, Coolidge death
6 Trimble III, Thomas ClarkThomas Clark Trimble III AR 1878–1965 1937–1957 1948–1957 1957–1965 Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt death
7 Lemley, Harry JacobHarry Jacob Lemley AR 1883–1965 1939–1958 (none) 1958–1965 Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt death
8 Henley, Jesse SmithJesse Smith Henley AR 1917–1997 1958[7]–1975 1959–1975 (none) Eisenhower, Eisenhower appointment to 8th Cir.
9 Young, Gordon ElmoGordon Elmo Young AR 1907–1969 1959–1969 (none) (none) Eisenhower, Eisenhower death
10 Harris, OrenOren Harris AR 1903–1997 1965–1976 (none) 1976–1997 Johnson, L.L. Johnson death
12 Shell, Terry LeeTerry Lee Shell AR 1922–1978 1975–1978 (none) (none) Ford, Ford death
13 Roy, Elsijane TrimbleElsijane Trimble Roy AR 1916–2007 1977–1989 (none) 1989–2007 Carter, Carter death
14 Arnold, Richard S.Richard S. Arnold AR 1936–2004 1978–1980 (none) (none) Carter, Carter appointment to 8th Cir.
15 Overton, WilliamWilliam Overton AR 1939–1987 1979–1987 (none) (none) Carter, Carter death
16 Woods, HenryHenry Woods AR 1918–2002 1980–1995 (none) 1995–2002 Carter, Carter death
17 Howard, Jr., GeorgeGeorge Howard, Jr. AR 1924–2007 1980–2007 (none) (none) Carter, Carter death
18 Reasoner, Stephen M.Stephen M. Reasoner AR 1944–2004 1988–2002 1991–1998 2002–2004 Reagan, Reagan death

Magistrate Judges

United States Attorneys

Recent former U.S. Attorneys for the district

See also: Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Lynn Foster, Their Pride and Ornament: Judge Benjamin Johnson and the Federal Courts in Early Arkansas, 22 U. Ark. Little Rock L. Rev. 21 (1999).
  2. ^ a b U.S. District Courts of Arkansas, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
  3. ^ Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 390.
  4. ^ Alfred Conkling, A Treatise on the Organization, Jurisdiction and Practice of the Courts of the United States (1864), p. 179.
  5. ^ Initially appointed to the District of Arkansas in 1849 by Zachary Taylor; reassigned to both the Western District of Arkansas and the Eastern District of Arkansas in 1851.
  6. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 4, 1900, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 9, 1901, and received commission on January 9, 1901.
  7. ^ Recess appointment; not confirmed by the United States Senate, but Eisenhower successfully renominated Henley to a different seat on the same court prior to the expiration of the initial appointment.

External links