Court Opinion

ID: 9771187
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:36:24.901609+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:26.836311
License: Public Domain

Robert H. Dudley, Justice. I concur in the result reached, but do so for a reason different than that expressed in the majority opinion. Appellant was charged with a felony in the Circuit Court of Faulkner County. The act creating the Twentieth Judicial District, of which Faulkner is a part, does not designate divisions for the Circuit Court of Faulkner County. See Ark. Code Ann. § 16-13-2803 (Supp. 1993). There is only one Circuit Court of Faulkner County, regardless of the number of circuit judges in Faulkner County. Harkness v. Harrison, 266 Ark. 59, 585 S.W.2d 10 (1979). All circuit judges of the Circuit Court of Faulkner County have equal power, authority, and responsibility. See Ark. Code Ann. § 16-13-210 (1987); Beaumont v. Adkisson, 267 Ark. 511, 593 S.W.2d 11 (1980). Circuit Judge David Reynolds was a duly elected, qualified, and acting judge of the Circuit Court of Faulkner County at the time appellant was tried and convicted. Judge Reynolds had the power, authority, and responsibility to preside over this trial. Two days before the trial commenced appellant objected to Judge Reynolds presiding. The majority opinion holds that the objection was untimely. There is no authority that provides an objection to the power of a judge to preside must be made more than two days before the trial commences. It is possible, but need not be determined, that such an objection could timely be made at the time of allocution. See Ark. Code Ann. § 16-90-106 (1987). Thus, the objection was timely, and the ruling by Judge Reynolds that he had the power to preside should be affirmed solely on its merits. Brown, J., joins in this concurrence.