AOC, public defenders and bar warn pandemic backlog, broadband gaps hinder Arkansas courts

Summary

Arkansas court officials told the Senate Judiciary Committee that courts adapted with Zoom and e‑filing, distributed PPE, and held some jury trials between July and November, but uneven broadband, differing local closures and suspended criminal jury trials pose a backlog and equity problems for rural communities and indigent defendants.

Arkansas court administrators, the state public defender commission, and the bar association told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Dec. 18 that the judiciary has adapted to the pandemic but faces a growing backlog, uneven access to virtual services in rural areas, and serious implications for criminal defendants.

Kristen Clark of the Administrative Office of the Courts said the Supreme Court issued per curiam orders keeping courts open while balancing public health. The AOC expanded Zoom use, accelerated e‑filing (about 64% of circuit courts), and distributed PPE and screening supplies — including more than 700,000 disposable masks, 272 medical thermometers, about 15,000 bottles of hand sanitizer and more than a million pairs of gloves — to help courts operate safely.

"Most courts are thinking outside the box," Clark said, but she…

AOC, public defenders and bar warn pandemic backlog, broadband gaps hinder Arkansas courts

Summary

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