BENTONVILLE — Brad Karren and Tom Smith are preparing to take the bench next year and serve alongside four other circuit judges in Benton County.
Karren, now Rogers district judge, will be the Division 2 judge who handles criminal and civil cases. Smith, a Bentonville attorney, will be the Division 3 judge. His docket is mainly made up of juvenile matters. He also will preside over adult drug court.
At A Glance
Court Division Judges
Division 1
• Robin Green handles criminal and some civil cases. She was elected in 2008, replacing Tom Keith who retired.
Division 2
• Jon Comstock’s time on the bench will end at the new year. Brad Karren was elected to the judgeship. The division handles criminal and civil cases.
Division 3
• Mark Fryauf’s time on the bench will end at the new year. Tom Smith was elected to the judgeship and will preside over juvenile and adult drug courts. He also will be assigned domestic and probate cases.
Division 4
• John Scott was appointed judge in 2001 to replace Donald Huffman who retired. The division handles domestic, probate and civil matters.
Division 5
• Xollie Duncan was appointed in 2000 to replaced Oliver Adams who had died. She was elected to her first term in 2002. The division handles domestic, probate and civil matters.
Division 6
• Doug Schrantz was elected in 2008 to preside over a new judgeship created by the state. The division handles domestic, probate and civil matters.
Source: Staff Report
Karren and Smith were elected last spring. An election was necessary after the retirement of circuit judges David Clinger and Jay Finch. Gov. Mike Beebe appointed Mark Fryauf to replace Finch and Jon Comstock to replace Clinger. An election was required to determine who would serve out the remainder of the two terms. Karren and Smith will be sworn in Jan. 2.
Smith has attended training sessions offered by the state for new juvenile judges and also training for new circuit judges. “They call it judicial boot camp,” Smith said.
Karren also attended the new circuit judge orientation. Karren also is getting first-hand experience in the courtroom that will be his workplace next year, filling in for Comstock as a special judge on different occasions.
“I’ve been on that bench about 10 times handling arraignments, revocations and pleas,” Karren said.
Karren does not plan to make any major changes his first month on the bench, wanting his court to be consistent with Circuit Judge Robin Green’s. The two will handle criminal cases.
Smith plans to help launch a veterans’ court. “It will be a separate program from drug court and will focus on special needs for veterans,” Smith said.
Another goal Smith has is to speed up the justice process for juveniles. Smith wants to have all youth arraigned within 14 days of an arrest, and have cases adjudicated within 30 days of an arraignment.
He also has plans to put up what he calls “The Wall of Care” in the lobby of the Benton County Juvenile Justice Center. The wall will contain information from various nonprofit groups that assist juveniles and their families.
All circuit judge positions will be up in the 2014 election.
Paul Bridges was elected to serve as Rogers district judge. Ray Bunch was elected to replace retiring Bentonville District Judge John Skaggs.
Bunch wants be in the office awhile and talk with staff before making any changes. Bridges plans to discontinue night court sessions, but says he would begin night court again If ticket amounts increase.
Bunch and Bridges hope to meet with the other judges in the county and establish DWI and teen courts. A DWI court is now in Bentonville District Court, and a teen court is in Rogers District Court.
Jeff Conner presides over district court in Gentry. Stephen Thomas presides over district court in Siloam Springs. Neither had an opponent in the last election.