A supremely strange start at the Arkansas Supreme Court

Sonny Albarado, Arkansas Advocate. January 21, 2025

Newly elected Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Karen Baker apparently came into office intent on cleaning house: she tried to fire several high-ranking court officials and replace three judges on the court’s judicial discipline commission within two days of taking her oath of office.

Her actions resulted in an ongoing public feud with a majority of the court’s justices, raising constitutional and legal questions the remain unresolved.

Since Jan. 3, the public has been treated to no less than three orders from the court’s five most conservative justices challenging Baker’s authority and one order from Baker asserting her authority over court employees and to appoint judges to the disciplinary body without the other justices’ consent.

The origins of the brouhaha seem to stem from Baker’s visit in early December to the office of Marty Sullivan, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, while he wasn’t there, according to a Jan. 11 report in Arkansas Business. But tensions at the court have been percolating for some time.

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https://www.alternet.org/arkansas-supreme-court/