District judge in quest for seat on circuit court

Faulkner County’s Weaver to file bid

CONWAY -- Faulkner County District Judge Susan Weaver has announced she will run for the 20th Judicial Circuit's Division 1 seat.

The circuit includes Faulkner, Van Buren and Searcy counties. Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed Chris Carnahan to the seat last year to fill a vacancy. Under Arkansas law, Carnahan, whose term runs through 2018, cannot succeed himself in that division.

Before her election as a district judge in 2012 and re-election in 2016, Weaver was an assistant case coordinator in the judicial circuit.

Weaver, 39, also has been a deputy prosecuting attorney and said she has successfully prosecuted criminal bench and jury trials in Faulkner and Van Buren counties.

In that position, she said, she "learned the importance of incorporating rehabilitation with incarceration to reduce the likelihood of repeat offenders."

Before becoming a judge, Weaver also had a private law practice where she handled family law, civil law, criminal defense, appellate law and trust-and-estate planning.

Weaver also has worked as a law clerk for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, where she researched and wrote legal opinions.

In June, Conway attorney Andrea Woods announced for the same judicial seat. Woods is executive vice president and corporate counsel for Nabholz Construction.

The filing period for judicial candidates starts at 3 p.m. Feb. 22 and ends at 3 p.m. March 1. The judicial general election will be May 22.

Circuit judges are elected to six-year terms and make $163,200 annually.

State Desk on 09/15/2017

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