Welcome from the Chief Justice

Chief Justice John Dan Kemp

Greetings!  I am John Dan Kemp, and I have the honor of serving you as Chief Justice of your Arkansas Supreme Court.

I want to personally invite you to visit the Justice Building here in Little Rock.  One of the most interesting ways to see how the Justice System works is to attend oral argument. When a case is appealed from the trial court to the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals, the parties may ask the Court for an opportunity to argue the case in person.  Oral argument begins at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday at the Supreme Court, and 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday at the Court of Appeals.

I encourage you to watch in person, but if you are unable to, we stream oral arguments online on our website.  Oral arguments are archived, which means you can watch any oral argument at any time, dating back to 2010.  They can be accessed here.  Be sure to visit the “Plan Your Visit” page on our website to schedule your visit. 

On behalf of the judges across the state, we appreciate you taking the time to learn about the judicial branch.  Our system of government only works well if citizens like you are informed and participate in the democracy.  The work of the courts is impossible without your trust and confidence.  I commend you in taking an active role in learning about your government.