Justia Arkansas Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court held that Ark. Code Ann. 12-9-301, which provides immunity from both suit and liability for certain officials "except to the extent that they have be covered by liability insurance," does not apply to a federal cause of action brought under 42 U.S.C. 1983 but does apply to a state claim brought under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act.Plaintiff filed a complaint against the Benton School District, a principal in the strict (Lori Bacon), and an assistant superintendent (Lisa Gattis). The district court concluded that all Defendants were liable under section 1983 and the Arkansas Civil Rights Act for violating Plaintiff's rights to free speech and to petition the government under the First Amendment. The court granted Bacon and Gattis's motion for summary judgment on qualified immunity grounds but determined that their motion was limited to the extent they were covered by liability insurance. The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed and remanded in part, holding (1) section 21-9-301 does not impact a claim brought under section 1983; and (2) the circuit court correctly ruled that section 21-9-301 immunity applies to claims arising under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act. View "Benton School District v. Greer" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of first-degree murder and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, holding that the circuit court did not err in denying Defendant's motions for directed verdict on both charges.Defendant was charged with capital murder with an enhancement for using a firearm and other offenses. After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of the lesser-included offense of first-degree murder, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a defaced firearm, resisting arrest, fleeing, and obstructing governmental operations. Defendant was sentenced to an aggregate term of two life sentences. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding the circuit court did not err in denying Defendant's motions for directed verdict as to his convictions for first-degree murder and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer because there was sufficient proof presented to the jury that Defendant was capable of forming the requisite mental state given his provisional diagnosis of schizophrenia. View "Ward v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed Appellant's conviction of capital murder, aggravated robbery, theft of property, and a firearm sentencing enhancement, holding that Appellant was not entitled to relief on his allegations of error.After a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of the above crimes and sentenced to an aggregate term of life imprisonment without parole plus ten years. The Supreme Court affirmed his convictions and sentences, holding (1) Appellant's challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence based on the State's failure to negate his justification defense was unpreserved; (2) Appellant's argument that the trial court erroneously denied his motion for a mistrial was unpreserved for appeal; and (3) the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to submit certain language in its justification instruction to the jury. View "Bridges v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court holding that the Arkansas Racing Commission's (ARC) decision to award the Pope County casino license to Cherokee Nation Businesses, LLC (CNB) and Legends Resort and Casino, LLC (Legends) was a "legal nullity, void and of no effect," holding that the circuit court did not err.In this third iteration of appeals involving the issuance of the license Gulfside Casino Partnership (Gulfside) argued that the ARC's action was ultra vires because it was issued in violation of the clear language of amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution. The circuit court granted summary judgment for Gulfside, concluding that the casino license issued by the ARC jointly to CNB and Legends was an ultra vires action. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the circuit court did not err in its decision. View "Cherokee Nation Businesses, LLC v. Gulfside Casino Partnership" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the circuit court certifying a class action in the underlying lawsuit brought under the Patient Right-to-Know Addfct, Ark. Code Ann. 20-6-201 et seq., holding that the court abused its discretion in concluding that the predominance prerequisite of a class action had been satisfied.In his complaint, Plaintiff alleged that, after terminating his primary care physician, Dr. Anderson, St. Vincent Medical Group failed to provide Dr. Anderson with a list of his patients or to send them notice of his new location. The circuit court certified a class action. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the circuit court erred in concluding that Plaintiff identified "a common course of conduct that affected all members of the class." View "St. Vincent Medical Group v. Baldwin" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court convicting Appellant of first-degree murder and sentencing him to a term of life imprisonment, holding that Appellant was not entitled to relief on his allegations of error.On appeal, Appellant argued that the circuit court erred by giving a non-model jury instruction regarding justification and by refusing to give his proffered jury instruction regarding excessive force. The Supreme Court disagreed and affirmed, holding that the circuit court (1) did not abuse its discretion in submitting a non-model jury instruction to the jury; and (2) did not abuse its discretion in refusing to submit Appellant's proffered no-model excessive force instruction to the jury. View "Doerhoff v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of capital murder and his sentence of life imprisonment without parole, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on his allegations of error.Specifically, the Supreme Court held that the circuit court (1) did not err by denying Defendant's motions to suppress evidence from the traffic stop because law enforcement had reasonable suspicion that Defendant was a felon in possession of a firearm; (2) did not err in denying Defendant's motions to suppress evidence from his detention and arrest because the same facts that provided reasonable suspicion for the initial stop provided reasonable suspicion for his pat-down and arrest; and (3) did not err by permitting the State to introduce videos containing statements made by law enforcement officers. View "Bishop v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court concluding that the Arkansas Racing Commission's (ARC) decision to award the Pope County casino license to Cherokee Nation Business, LLC (CNB) and Legends Resort and Casino, LLC (Legends) was a "legal nullity, void and of no effect," holding that there was no error.Gulfside Casino Partnership sought a declaratory judgment that the ARC's actions in awarding the license to CNB and Legends were unconstitutional, constituted and ultra vires act, and violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The circuit court granted summary judgment for Gulfside, ruling that the ARC acted ultra vires, in violation of amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the ARC acted ultra vires in issuing the license to CNB. View "Cherokee Nation Businesses, LLC v. Gulfside Casino Partnership" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and sentences for aggravated residential burglary, attempted first-degree murder, first-degree battery, residential burglary, breaking or entering, theft of a firearm, and second-degree criminal impersonation, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on his allegations of error.On appeal, Defendant's attorney, pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), and Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 4-3(b), filed a motion to withdraw as counsel and a no-merit brief stating that any issues raised on appeal would be "wholly frivolous." The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and sentence and granted counsel's motion to withdraw, holding that the pro se points submitted by Defendant for consideration by the Court were unavailing. View "Madole v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court dismissing Plaintiff's legal malpractice complaint against Defendants, her attorneys, holding that the circuit court abused its discretion in granting Defendants' motions to dismiss and finding that Plaintiff failed to plead facts sufficient to toll the running of the statute of limitations on fraudulent concealment.Plaintiff retained Defendants to file negligence lawsuit. Defendants later informed Plaintiff they had committed malpractice by serving a deficient summons. Plaintiff subsequently filed a legal malpractice lawsuit alleging that Defendants fraudulently concealed their malpractice by keeping the appearance that Plaintiff's lawsuit was still alive. The circuit court dismissed the complaint, concluding that Plaintiff failed to plead sufficient facts to allege fraudulent concealment. The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) silence amounts to a positive act of fraud when there is a confidential or fiduciary relationship; and (2) Plaintiff's complaint pled sufficient facts to establish fraudulent concealment and survive a motion to dismiss. View "Nichols v. Swindoll" on Justia Law