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Arkansas Supreme Court says new chief justice tried to fire several officials

Karen Baker was sworn in as the 29th Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, becoming the first female chief in the court's 188-year history.
The Arkansas Supreme Court issued an opinion stating that Baker attempted to fire ten long-tenured court employees without consulting the court.
The court's order rescinded Baker's firings and established new procedures requiring support from at least four justices for such actions.
The justices accused Baker of retaliating against employees and failing to provide specific reasons for the terminations, raising concerns about the administration of justice in Arkansas.

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KHBS

New rules adopted after Arkansas' new chief justice tried to fire several employees

An order from the high court said Chief Justice Karen Baker attempted to fire ten employees of the court's administrative office

2 months ago

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arkansasadvocate.com

Arkansas Supreme Court majority blocks chief justice's attempt to fire 10 judiciary employees • Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate)Two days after being sworn in, the Arkansas Supreme Court’s new chief justice attempted to fire several employees of the state court system, which a majority of the court claimed was inappropriate, “unnecessary and unfortunate.” Five of six associate justices — Rhonda Wood, Barbara Webb, Shawn Womack, Cody Hiland and Nicholas Bronni — issued an administrative order…

2 months ago

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Associated Press News

+3 Reposted by 3 other sources

Arkansas Supreme Court says new chief justice tried to fire several officials

The Arkansas Supreme Court has blocked its new chief justice's attempt to fire several top officials. The court on Friday issued new rules blocking the firings, which it said appeared

2 months ago·United States

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Arkansas Business

Arkansas Supreme Court Justices Block Chief Justice Karen Baker's 'Retaliatory' Firing of 10 Employees

Five justices on the Arkansas Supreme Court prevented the newly sworn in Chief Justice Karen Baker from firing 10 employees, noting that some of the attempted firings appeared to be retaliatory because the workers had pending complaints against her. It’s the latest episode of division within the court to become public. Included on the list of those to be fired were Marty Sullivan, the director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, and Chi…

2 months ago

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Arkansas Times

New year, new tea: Arkansas high court infighting intensifies in 2025

Karen Baker was sworn in as the 29th chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court on Wednesday. It was an historic day for Baker, who became the first female chief in the court’s 188-year history, and there was a hope among many observers that Baker’s investiture might end the embarrassing public infighting that plagued the court in recent months.Like so many New Year’s resolutions, it took only two days for that hope to be discarded.In an unsign…

2 months ago

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Arkansas Supreme Court justices block chief justice’s move to fire 10 employees

Five justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court on Friday attempted to block a move by Chief Justice Karen Baker to terminate 10 employees, including the directors of the Administrative Office of the Court. The two sides remained at an impasse on Friday night over whether those employees still have jobs, though Baker said that she was “not going to stage a standoff.”

2 months ago

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