Ark. 3d Dist. Ct. Admin. Plan

ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN

Third Judicial District

Composed of the Carroll and Madison Counties

________________________________________________

1. JUDGES.

The Third Judicial District Court is a state district court served by Judge Dale Ramsey.

Are exchange agreements with other district judges utilized?

Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 18, a t the request of the majority of the district

judges of a district court, with the concurrence of a majority of the circuit judges of a

judicial circuit, the administrative judge of the judicial circuit may designate one or more

licensed attorneys to serve as a smalls claims magistrate to preside over the small

claims division of the district court.

A small claims magistrate shall possess the same qualifications as a district court judge.

The appointment shall be filed in writing and filed with the District Court Clerk.

Has a small claims magistrate has been designated by the administrative judge of the

judicial circuit?

2. DEPARTMENTS.

The statutory authority for the organization and designation of this district court is found

is found at A.C.A. § 16-17-1110(3).

Berryville Department

103 Spring Street

Berryville, AR 72616

(870) 423-6247

Chief Clerk Rexanna Lilly

Green Forest Department

203 S. Springfield Ave

Green Forest, AR 72638

(870) 438-5866

Chief Clerk Ashley Gastineau

Eureka Springs Department

44 S. Main Street

Eureka Springs, AR 72632

(479) 253-8574

Chief Clerk Jessica Perew

Madison County (Huntsville) Department

208 E War Eagle

Huntsville, AR 72740

(479) 738-2911

Chief Clerk Pam Garrett

The only judge serving the Third Judicial District Court is Judge Dale Ramsey.

Consolidation of City Courts with District Courts

Pursuant to A.C.A. §16-17-1202, all city courts were consolidated with district courts on

January 1, 2012, and former city courts became known as departments of the district

court. If a town or city is no longer operating as a department of the district c ourt, a

copy of the local ordinance abolishing the city as a department of the court must be

provided to the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Are a ll towns or cities statutorily designated as department s still operating as

departments of the district court?

☒Yes

☐No

Town / City Abolished as Department Effective Date

☐A copy of the local ordinance abolishing the department of the district court has been

attached. N/A

3. OTHER JURISDICTIONAL AREAS.

The following ci ties and towns have police departments but have not been designated

as statutory departments of the district court. Pursuant to A.C.A. §16-17-1203, these

cities and town s contribute to the operational expenses of the district court and file

cases in the district court.

City / Town Department Where Cases are Filed / Heard

Holiday Island effective May 2023 Heard in Eureka Springs Department

4. COURT SESSIONS AND TYPES OF CASE BY SUBJECT MATTER

(Criminal, Traffic, Civil and Small Claims).

Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 18, each department of a district court shall hear

cases in all of the subject matter divisions.

Sessions of the court are generally scheduled on the following days of the week set

forth on the next page at the following times:

[binding.law: PDF page 4 withheld — its text layer does not read as words]

Mandatory Holding of Court in Departments of a District Court

Pursuant to A.C.A. §16-17-138, sessions of court must be held at least one (1) time per

month in each department unless mutually waived by the district court judge and the

governing body of the city or town where the department is located.

Is court held in each town or city designated as a department of the district court at least

one (1) time per month?

☒Yes

☐No

☐ A written agreement waiving the mandatory holding of court for department s of a

district court has been entered into and has been adopted by ordinance of the

governing body of the city or town in which the department is located.

☐ The ordinance(s) has/have been attached to this plan.

Based upon said written agreement, sessions of court for the ____________________

Department are held in the _________________ Department.

Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 18, a warrant docket shall be established within

the criminal division. The docket shall be divided into a “search warrant docket,”

designated by the prefix “SW” and an “arrest warrant docket,” designated by the prefix

“AW.” The warrant docket is used for warrants that have been retu rned either executed

or unexecuted when a case file has not yet been opened. If a criminal case is

subsequently opened, the information in the warrant docket related to the criminal case

is transferred to it.

Has the warrant docket been established within the criminal division?

☒Yes

☐No

5. ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 18 REFERRALS FROM CIRCUIT COURT.

Has the circuit court referred matters pursuant to Administrative Order No. 18 to be

heard by a state district judge?

☒Yes

☐No

The following matters have been referred by the circuit court and have been included in

the circuit court administrative plan:

☐Consent Jurisdiction. Upon the consent of all parties, the following types of cases are

referred from circuit court:

☐ Civil

☐ Domestic Relations

☐ Probate

☐Protective Orders.

☐Forcible Entry and Detainers / Unlawful Detainer.

☐Other Matters of an Emergency or Uncontested Nature Pending in Civil, Domestic

Relations or Probate Division. Please describe the types of other matters referred below

and the location where these matters are heard.

Type of Other Matters Hearing Location

☐Other Matters, if Justification for the Reference and Procedures to be Employed are

Sufficiently Demonstrated in the Circuit Court Administration Plan Pursuant to

Administrative Order No. 14. Please describe the types of other matters referred below

and the location where these matters are heard.

Type of Other Matters Hearing Location

☒Criminal. The following duties are referred with respect to an investigation or

prosecution of an offense lying within the exclusive jurisdiction of the circuit court:

☒ Issue Search Warrant Pursuant to Rule 13.1

☒ Issue Arrest Warrant Pursuant to Rule 7.1 or A.C.A. §16-81-104

☒ Issue Summons Pursuant to Rule 6.1

☒ Reasonable Cause Determinations Pursuant to Rule 4.1 (e)

☒ Conduct First Appearance Pursuant to Rule 8.1

☒ Appoint Counsel Pursuant to Rule 8.2

☒ Inform Defendant Pursuant to Rule 8.3

☒ Accept Plea of “Not Guilty” or “Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity”

☒ Conduct Pretrial Release Inquiry Rules 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3

☒ Conduct Preliminary Hearing Pursuant to A.C.A. §16-93-307

Digital Audio Recording Equipment

Is d igital audio recording equipment utilized to make a verbatim record of matters

referred from the circuit court?

☒ No

Has the State District Court Digital Audio Recording Equipment Compliance Form been

provided to the Administrative Office of the Courts?

6. SPECIALTY COURTS.

Does a district court judge preside over a specialty court program?

The following specialty courts are conducted:

Type of Specialty Court Location

a. Type of specialty docket and description of its operation:

b. Statutory or legal authority on which it is based:

c. Certification of compliance with all applicable sentencing laws, including

assessment, collection and remittance of fines, fees, court costs, probation fees.

d. Use of court resources. [Describe the court team including prosecuting

attorneys, public defenders, and health professionals; that each has been

consulted in setting up the program and its operation; scheduling has been

coordinated; and the necessary resources are available.]

e. Sources of funding:

☐This specialty court was established in the circuit court administrative plan, but the

judicial circuit does not have a circuit judge who is available to administer the specialty

court on a consistent basis. Accordingly, the administrative plan for the judicial circuit

required by Administrative Order No. 14 of the Supreme Court designate d a district

court judge to administer this specialty court program.

7. OTHER PROGRAMS OR DOCKETS.

Does a district court judge preside over other programs or dockets?

The following programs or dockets are administered:

Name of Docket Location

a. Type of specialty docket and description of its operation:

b. Statutory or legal authority on which it is based:

c. Certification of compliance with all applicable sentencing laws, including

assessment, collection and remittance of fines, fees, court costs, probation fees.

d. Use of court resources. [Describe the court team including prosecuting

attorneys, public defenders, and health professionals; that each has been

consulted in setting up the program and its operation; scheduling has been

coordinated; and the necessary resources are available.]

e. Sources of funding:

7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Administrative Plan is effective January 1, 2023.

______________________________

Judge

____May 18, 2023______

Date