Justia Arkansas Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting a motion for attorneys' fees filed by Plaintiff, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in granting Plaintiff's motion for attorneys' fees to Plaintiff as the class representative.Plaintiff filed an illegal exaction lawsuit seeking to recover fees that City of Little Rock illegally imposed on traffic court defendants in Little Rock District Court over a certain period of years. Plaintiff moved for class certification of her claims under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act (ACRA), Ark. Code Ann. 16-123-101 to -108. The circuit court dismissed the illegal exaction claim and granted a motion to certify a class of defendants who had paid traffic court installment fees at least thirty days early. The circuit court ultimately found that the City violated ACRA in charging excessive installment fees in traffic court. Plaintiff then filed a motion seeking attorneys' fees in the amount of $225,000 and an enhancement of $10,000. The circuit court granted the motion. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in awarding the attorneys' fees. View "City of Little Rock v. Nelson" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court denying the motion filed by the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) to dismiss Plaintiffs' amended complaint alleging violations of the Arkansas Civil Rights Act, holding that sovereign immunity barred Plaintiffs' claims.In their complaint, Plaintiffs alleged, individually and on behalf of their three minor children, that the entrance of a DHS investigator and law enforcement into their children's private school for the purpose of investigating possible child maltreatment was illegal and unconstitutional. DHS filed a motion to dismiss, asserting sovereign immunity and other defenses. The circuit court denied the motion to dismiss. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the circuit court erred in denying DHS's motion to dismiss based on sovereign immunity. View "Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Harris" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's dismissal of Plaintiff's complaint filed against Arkansas prison officials under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act and state tort law for allegedly depriving him of a nutritionally adequate diet safe for consumption but reversed the circuit court's imposition of a strike for the dismissal of the underlying action, holding that dismissal was warranted but the strike was not.In dismissing the complaint, the circuit court concluded that Plaintiff's claims were barred by sovereign and statutory immunity and failed to state facts upon which relief could be granted. The court also issued a strike under Ark. Code Ann. 16-68-607. The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part, holding (1) because Plaintiff's allegations failed to establish a constitutional violation Plaintiff failed to surmount sovereign and statutory immunity; and (2) the strike was unwarranted. View "Harmon v. Payne" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed and remanded in part the circuit court's order awarding damages under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act to Alexander Apartments, LLC and certain tenants after determining that the City of Little Rock violated Appellees' due process rights under the Arkansas Constitution, holding that the circuit court correctly found that the City violated Appellees' due process rights but incorrectly awarded damages.On appeal, the City argued that it did not violate Alexander Apartments' or the tenants' due process rights under the Arkansas Constitution. The Supreme Court disagreed, holding (1) the circuit court was correct as a matter of law that the City violated Alexander Apartments' and the tenants' due process rights under the Arkansas Constitution; (2) substantial evidence supported the circuit court's award of damages to Alexander Apartments in the amount of $432,744.33; and (3) the circuit court erroneously considered events and circumstances that were unrelated to the City's due process violations in determining the tenants' damages awards. View "City of Little Rock v. Alexander Apartments, LLC" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's dismissal of Plaintiff's action against the University of Arkansas, the Trustees of the University of Arkansas, and several individuals, both in their individual and official capacities, holding that the circuit court properly dismissed Plaintiff's claims.Specifically, the Supreme Court held that the circuit court (1) did not err by requiring Plaintiff to pay for counsel of the representatives of a class of students implicated in his 2015 Arkansas Freedom of Information Act data request; (2) did not err by dismissing Plaintiff's claims for monetary relief against the official-capacity defendants based on sovereign immunity; (3) did not err by dismissing individual-capacity claims against two individuals; (4) did not err in finding that Plaintiff's individual capacity claims under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act failed to state claims for which relief could be granted; and (5) properly dismissed Plaintiff's tortious interference with a contract claim and civil conspiracy claim. Finally, the Court held that the University did not waive its sovereign immunity on a claim under the Arkansas Whistle-Blower Act. View "Steinbuch v. University of Arkansas" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Appellant's petition for post conviction relief pursuant to Ark. R. Crim. P. 37.1, holding that the circuit court correctly denied Appellant's Rule 37.1 petition.Specifically, the Court held that the circuit court (1) did not clearly err by finding that trial counsel's failure to obtain a forensic evaluation prior to Appellant's pleading guilty was not ineffective assistance; (2) did not err in finding that trial counsel was not ineffective by failing to file any pretrial motions to suppress or motions in limine before permitting Appellant to enter his plea; and (3) did not apply the wrong legal standard in ruling on Appellant's petition. View "Roos v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court denying Appellant's pro se petition for a writ of error coram nobis, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in denying the writ.Appellant pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment. In his petition for a writ of error coram nobis Appellant alleged that his counsel did not fully explain his parole eligibility or the effect of his prior convictions, and therefore, he was coerced into pleading guilty. The circuit court denied the writ. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Appellant's allegations did not rise to the level of coercion sufficient to meet his burden of establishing grounds for the writ. View "Brown v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court convicting Appellant of first-degree felony murder, two counts of aggravated robbery, and a firearm enhancement and sentencing Appellant as a habitual offender to life imprisonment, holding that the circuit court did not err in denying Appellant's motions for directed verdict or his motion to suppress and did not sentence him illegally.Specifically, the Court held (1) contrary to Appellant's argument on appeal, substantial evidence supported the first-degree murder conviction and one of the aggravated robbery convictions; (2) the circuit court did not err by sentencing Appellant as a habitual offender to a term of life imprisonment because he had two prior convictions for crimes that he had committed as a minor and for which he was tried as an adult; and (3) the circuit court did not err in denying Defendant's motion to suppress his taped statement to police during which he requested an attorney. View "Price v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court awarding attorney's fees to Allen Hargis following the division of Allen's military retirement account after the divorce of Allen and Lynn Harris, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion by failing to conduct a hearing on the parties' respective financial abilities prior to awarding attorney's fees.After resolving the parties' dispute over the division of Allen's military retirement account following their divorce the circuit court awarded attorney's fees to Allen. On appeal, Lynn argued that the circuit court's failure to conduct a hearing prior to awarding attorney's fees infringed on her right to procedural due process under the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the circuit court was not obligated to conduct an evidentiary hearing under the Fourteenth Amendment and that Lynn was not denied an opportunity to be heard on Allen's motion for attorney's fees. View "Hargis v. Hargis" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court convicting Defendant of first degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and a firearm enhancement, holding that the circuit court did not err in denying Defendant's motion for a mistrial.On appeal, Defendant argued that his constitutional rights were violated during his cross-examination of a witness when that witness testified regarding Defendant's right to remain silent.The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in overruling the objection to the testimony because the comment was not the type of comment prohibited by the United States Supreme Court in Doyle v. Ohio, 426 U.S. 610, 618 (1976). View "Sirkaneo v. State" on Justia Law