reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AR Code § 14-120-702 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 120 - Drainage and Levee Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 7 - Maintenance of Facilities|§ 14-120-702. Authority and powers of board of commissioners

 (a) The board of commissioners of any drainage or drainage and levee district organized under the laws of the State of Arkansas are authorized and empowered to purchase, lease, or rent, separately as individual districts or jointly with other districts such machinery, equipment, and material to be used in repairing, deepening, widening, clearing, and maintaining the ditches and levees of their districts.  (b) The board of commissioners is further authorized and empowered to employ personnel as necessary and incident to the use of the machinery, equipment, and material obtained.  (c) For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subchapter, drainage districts, and levee and drainage districts are authorized to levy a maintenance tax and obtain funds as now provided by law.
AR Code § 14-120-703 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 120 - Drainage and Levee Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 7 - Maintenance of Facilities|§ 14-120-703. Maintenance requirements

 (a) Whenever any levee or drainage district in the State of Arkansas shall have given assurances to the United States Army Corps of Engineers or other appropriate federal agency that the levee or drainage district will maintain any levee or drainage facility upon its completion by the federal government, then that levee or drainage district shall maintain the levee or drainage facility according to the terms of the assurance agreement entered into with the federal government.  (b) It shall be the duty of the board of commissioners of all levee and drainage districts to take all appropriate action to maintain their levee and drainage facilities according to the assurances given to the federal government.
AR Code § 14-120-704 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 120 - Drainage and Levee Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 7 - Maintenance of Facilities|§ 14-120-704. Failure to maintain structures

 (a)  (1) Whenever any levee or drainage district shall fail, refuse, or neglect to maintain the levee and drainage structures after completion, in compliance with the assurances given the federal government, then the United States Army Corps of Engineers may give written notice to the officers of the levee and drainage district and in the notice shall set forth the plans and specifications and estimate of cost of restoring and maintaining the structures in accordance with the assurances given.  (2) The levee and drainage district shall take steps to comply with the specifications and requirements made by the United States Army Corps of Engineers within six (6) months after receiving notice.  (3) In the event that the levee and drainage district has not taken steps to comply therewith within the period of time above provided, then the United States Army Corps of Engineers may give written notice to the Attorney General of the State of Arkansas that the levee and drainage district has failed, refused, or neglected to comply with the requirements and upon receipt of written notice from the United States Army Corps of Engineers to the Attorney General of the State of Arkansas, then the Attorney General shall immediately bring a mandamus suit in a court of competent jurisdiction in the name of the State of Arkansas against the officers, commissioners, or directors of the levee and drainage district in the county in which the domicile of the district is situated. However, in the mandamus proceedings, if it is shown that the district has insufficient funds to meet and fulfill these requirements, then it shall be deemed a compliance with this subchapter if the district has taken steps to assess and levy a sufficient maintenance tax.    (b)  (1) Where the board of commissioners of a drainage or levee district has indicated by resolution that it will not comply with the specifications and requirements contained in the notice of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Attorney General may immediately, in lieu of a mandamus proceeding against the commissioners of the district, bring an action and take other necessary legal steps in the proper local court, or courts, in the name of the State of Arkansas against the delinquent levee or drainage district, or subdivision thereof, or the board of commissioners thereof to effectuate, in the manner now provided by law, the assessment, reassessment, extension, or collection of a sufficient annual tax upon the real property in the levee or drainage district to enable the performance of the assurances given to the federal government.  (2) The Attorney General may also bring the action where the board of commissioners has failed to perform the assurances after the giving of the notice above specified.
AR Code § 14-120-705 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 120 - Drainage and Levee Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 7 - Maintenance of Facilities|§ 14-120-705. Collection and expenditure of tax — Costs

 (a) In all proceedings for the imposition and collection of an annual tax upon the real property in the levee or drainage district, the powers and duties of the Attorney General in this respect shall cease when the order of the proper court in the matter has become final.  (b) The actual collection and expenditure of the tax shall be left to the board of directors or commissioners.  (c) If the board fails or refuses to make the collection and expenditure, mandamus proceedings may be instituted, or, in case a district is without representation, the Attorney General may, in the name of the State of Arkansas, petition the proper local court for a receiver for the district to collect and expend the taxes.  (d) The order of the court in all such proceedings shall provide for the payment of the legal costs, including a reasonable fee for the Attorney General, by the defendant district.  (e) The order of the court in imposing an assessment or reassessment of taxes upon the real property in the district shall take into account the costs and expenses.
AR Code § 14-121-101 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-121-101. Definitions

 (a) As used in this act, unless the context otherwise requires:  (1) “Real property” shall have the same meaning as when used in § 26-1-101 et seq. and shall embrace all railroads and tramroads within the district;  (2) “Ditch” includes branch or lateral ditches, tile drains, levees, sluiceways, floodgates, and any other construction work found necessary for the reclamation of wet and overflowed land.    (b) Whenever the words “county court” or “county judge” are used in this act, they shall be construed to mean “circuit court” or “circuit judge,” and the words “county clerk” shall mean “circuit clerk” in cases where the district contains lands in more than one (1) county.
AR Code § 14-121-102 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-121-102. Applicability

 (a) This act shall apply to the organization of districts, the main object of which is the construction of levees.  (b) This act shall not repeal the drainage laws now in force, but it is an alternative system.  (c) Drainage districts may be organized under this act or under the statutes which are in force at the time of the passage of this act.
AR Code § 14-121-103 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-121-103. Special court sessions

 The county and circuit court may, at the request of the commissioners of the district, at any time hold special sessions for the purpose of:   (1) Acting upon any petition or report; or  (2) Making any order in a matter involving any drainage district.
AR Code § 14-121-104 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-121-104. Appeals not to delay work

 No appeal provided for in this chapter shall be allowed to delay the organization of the district or the progress of the work of improvement.
AR Code § 14-121-105 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 1 - General Provisions|§ 14-121-105. Obstructing or damaging drainage works — Penalty

 Any person who obstructs a drain or damages drainage works provided for by this act shall be guilty of a violation and fined one hundred dollars ($100). He or she shall also be liable to the district for double the cost of removing the obstruction or repairing damage.
AR Code § 14-121-201 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 2 - District Establishment|§ 14-121-201. Petition for establishment — Engineer and survey — Bond

 (a) It shall be the duty of the county court to enter upon its records an order appointing an engineer to be selected by the petitioners when three (3) or more owners of real property within a proposed district shall:  (1) Petition the county court to establish a drainage district or a district to construct drainage or drainage and levee improvements in conjunction with the federal government and thereafter to maintain the whole of the improvements, or to maintain drainage or levee improvements constructed wholly or in part by the federal government, to embrace their property, describing generally the region which it is intended shall be embraced within the district; and  (2) File a good bond to pay for the expense of survey of the proposed district, in case the district is not formed.    (b) However, the engineer whom they select shall be a suitable person, and if not, an engineer shall be named who is satisfactory to the court. He shall give bond in a sum not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000), to be fixed by the court, for the faithful discharge of his duties, and shall be liable upon such bond for negligence or incompetency causing loss to the district.  (c) The engineer shall forthwith proceed to make a survey and ascertain the limits of the region which would be benefited by the proposed system of drainage.  (d) The engineer shall file with the county clerk a report showing the territory which will be benefited by the proposed improvement, giving a general idea of its character and expense and making such suggestions as to the size of the drainage ditches and their location as he may deem advisable.  (e) All expense incident to the survey and cost of publication shall be paid by the county as the work progresses upon proper showing, but all expenses incurred by the county shall be repaid out of the proceeds of the first assessment levied under this act.
AR Code § 14-121-202 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 2 - District Establishment|§ 14-121-202. Notice and hearing

 (a) The county clerk shall thereupon give notice by publication for two (2) weeks in some newspaper published and having a general circulation in the county calling upon all persons owning property within the district to appear before the court on some day to be fixed by the court, to show cause in favor of or against the establishment of the district.  (b) At the time named in the notice, the county court shall meet and hear all property owners within the proposed district who wish to appear and advocate or resist the establishment of the district. If the court deems it to the best interest of owners of real property within the district that the proposed district shall become a drainage district under the terms of this act, then it shall make an order upon its records establishing the same as a drainage district subject to all the terms and provisions of this act.
AR Code § 14-121-203 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 2 - District Establishment|§ 14-121-203. Land in more than one county

 (a) If land in more than one (1) county is embraced in the proposed district, the application shall be addressed to the circuit court in which the largest portion of the lands lie, and all proceedings shall be had in the circuit court.  (b) The circuit court shall apportion all costs between the county or counties in proportion to the benefits assessed to each county.  (c) The expenses incurred prior to the time when the assessment is made shall be apportioned between the counties in the proportion which the circuit court shall deem to be just and equitable.  (d) All notices in that event shall be published in newspapers published and having bona fide circulation in each county in which the district embraces lands.  (e) All of the districts shall be numbered consecutively or else shall receive names selected by the county court.  (f) If the county court does not act promptly in complying with the terms of any section of this act essential to the creation and operation of the districts, it may be compelled to do so by mandamus.  (g) The domicile of the district shall be the county in which the largest portion of the lands in the district lie, and all suits against it shall be by service on all of the commissioners of the district.
AR Code § 14-121-204 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 2 - District Establishment|§ 14-121-204. Signatures — Establishment when no petition is filed

 (a) If, upon hearing provided for in §§ 14-121-201 — 14-121-203, the petition is presented to the county court signed by a majority, either in numbers or in acreage or in value of the holders of real property within the proposed district, praying that the improvement be made, it shall be the duty of the county court to make the order establishing the district without further inquiry.  (b) If no petition is filed, it shall be the duty of the county court to investigate as provided in §§ 14-121-201 — 14-121-203 and to establish the district if it is of the opinion that the establishment thereof will be to the advantage of the owners of real property therein.  (c) The petition provided for therein may be signed by guardians for their wards, and by trustees, executors, and administrators for the estates represented by them.  (d) If the signature of any corporation thereto is attested by the corporate seal, the signature shall be sufficient evidence of the assent of the corporation to the petition.
AR Code § 14-121-205 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 2 - District Establishment|§ 14-121-205. Effect of order establishing district — Appeal

 (a) The order of the county court establishing the district shall have all of the force of a judgment.  (b) Any owner of real property within the district may appeal from the judgment within twenty (20) days after the judgment has been made, but if no appeal is taken within that time, the judgment shall be deemed conclusive and binding upon all the real property within the bounds of the district and upon the owners thereof. Any owner of property in the district may within a like time appeal from any order refusing to establish the district.
AR Code § 14-121-206 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 2 - District Establishment|§ 14-121-206. Advancement of cases involving validity of organization

 All cases in which there arises a question of the validity of the organization of drainage districts shall be advanced as matters of public interest and heard in all courts at the earliest practicable moment.
AR Code § 14-121-207 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 2 - District Establishment|§ 14-121-207. Reorganization of districts formed under other laws

 Any district organized under the existing statutes may become a drainage district under the terms of this act as follows:   (1) If three (3) owners of real property within the district shall petition the county court to constitute them a drainage district under the terms hereof, the county court shall give notice of the application by two (2) weeks' publication in some newspaper published and having a bona fide circulation in the county, and of a time when the petition will be heard.  (2) All owners of real property within the district shall have the right to appear and contest the petition or to support it.  (3) The county court shall hear the evidence and shall either grant the petition or deny it, as it deems most advantageous to the property owners of the district. If it grants the petition, the district shall have all the rights and powers and be subject to all the obligations provided by the terms of this act.  (4) However, if the majority of the landowners of the district or the owners of a majority of the acreage therein petition for the adoption of this act, the county court must make an order declaring that the district shall henceforth be governed by the terms of this act and shall appoint commissioners of his own selection, who shall carry into effect, without delay, the proposed drainage improvement.  (5) The provisions of this act and the act of which it is amendatory shall not apply to or in any way affect Drainage District No. 2 and Drainage District No. 5, both in Poinsett County, as originally organized in and by the county court of the county. The court shall proceed to carry out the proposed improvements as if this act and the act of which it is amendatory had never been passed or become a law.
AR Code § 14-121-208 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 2 - District Establishment|§ 14-121-208. Making districts created by special act into districts governed by general law

 All drainage districts created by special acts are made drainage districts under Acts 1909, No. 279, with all the powers conferred by the latter and with all the liabilities and restrictions thereby imposed. However, nothing in this section shall be construed as taking away from any improvement district created by special acts any powers which are thereby conferred upon it, nor shall it displace any commissioners or directors of such districts now in office.
AR Code § 14-121-301 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 3 - Board of Commissioners|§ 14-121-301. Members generally

 (a) When the county court has established any such drainage district, it shall appoint three (3) owners of real property within the county to act as commissioners.  (b) Each of these commissioners shall take the oath of office required by Arkansas Constitution, Article 19, § 20, and shall also swear that he will not directly or indirectly be interested in any contract made by the board and that he will well and truly assess all benefits resulting from the improvement and all damages caused thereby.  (c) Any commissioner failing to take the oath within thirty (30) days after his appointment shall be deemed to have declined, and his place shall be filled by the county court if in session, and if not, by the county judge.  (d) All vacancies on the board shall be filled by the county court, or the county judge in vacation; but if a majority in value of the owners of real property in the district shall petition for the appointment of particular persons as commissioners, it shall be the duty of the county court or county judge to appoint the persons so designated.  (e)  (1) The county court shall remove any member of the board on the petition of a majority in value of the owners of real property in the district.  (2) The county court may remove any commissioner and appoint his successor upon proof of incompetency or neglect of duty, but the charges shall be in writing, and the commissioner shall have the right to be heard in his defense and to appeal to the circuit court.    (f) The commissioners provided for in this subchapter shall receive as compensation the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) each day for attending meetings of the board, together with their necessary expenses.
AR Code § 14-121-302 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 3 - Board of Commissioners|§ 14-121-302. Members — Increase in number

 (a) Whenever a majority in value of the owners of real property in any drainage district in this state which was established pursuant to the provisions of special acts of the General Assembly, but which were, by the provisions of § 14-121-208, brought under the provisions of §§ 14-121-101, 14-121-102, 14-121-104, 14-121-105, 14-121-201 — 14-121-205, 14-121-207, 14-121-301, 14-121-304, 14-121-305, 14-121-307, 14-121-310, 14-121-311, 14-121-313, 14-121-401 — 14-121-406, 14-121-408, 14-121-411, 14-121-412, 14-121-422 — 14-121-432, 14-121-440 — 14-121-442, 14-121-802 — 14-121-805, and 14-121-808 shall file petitions with the county court of the county in which the drainage district is located requesting that the membership of the board of commissioners of the drainage district shall be increased from three (3) to five (5) members, it shall be the duty of the county court to appoint, in the manner provided by law, two (2) additional owners of real property in the district as commissioners of the district. Thereafter, the total membership of the board of commissioners of the drainage district shall consist of five (5) members.  (b) Such additional members shall be appointed in the same manner and vacancies in any position shall be filled in the same manner as now provided by law.  (c) All action by the board of commissioners of any drainage district affected by this section shall be a majority vote of the membership of the board of commissioners.
AR Code § 14-121-303 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 3 - Board of Commissioners|§ 14-121-303. Members — District in more than one county

 (a) In case of a district lying in more than one (1) county, three (3) commissioners shall be appointed, and in all cases the commissioners must be owners of real property within the district.  (b) However, where a district embraces lands in three (3) or more counties, the court may appoint as many commissioners as there are counties, but it shall be discretionary with the court whether he shall appoint a commissioner from each county.
AR Code § 14-121-304 (2020)
2020 Arkansas Code|Title 14 - Local Government|Subtitle 7 - Water and Soil Improvement Districts|Chapter 121 - Drainage Improvement Districts Generally|Subchapter 3 - Board of Commissioners|§ 14-121-304. Organization

 The board shall select one (1) of their number as chairman, and a majority shall constitute a quorum.