TO ALLOW A PERSON FILING AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OR JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS WHO IS AN APPOINTEE IN THAT POSITION TO USE THE TITLE OF THAT POSITION AS A PREFIX WHEN FILING AS A CANDIDATE.

Senate Bill 516 (Act 761) amends Arkansas law regarding how candidates can use judicial titles when filing for nonpartisan judicial offices. Previously, only judges who had been elected to their current position could use their title as a prefix on the ballot. This bill expands that allowance to include individuals appointed to the offices of Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, circuit judge, or district judge. To qualify, an appointee must have served in that judicial position for at least twelve months.