A proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution that would enact limits on attorneys fees, lawsuit damages and the ability of the courts to write their own rules was stripped from its position on the fall general election ballot Thursday by a Little Rock judge.
Circuit Court Judge Mackie Pierce issued an order Thursday afternoon in which he found that the various sections of Issue 1 were not "reasonably germane" to each other, a violation of the state Constitution.
A spokesman for Secretary of State Mark Martin said the office plans to appeal the ruling, citing the expectation do so by the Legislature, which voted to place Issue One on the ballot in 2017.
Proponents of the amendment, including the state Chamber of Commerce, had argued that the provision of the amendment had all related to "judicial power."
Opponents, however, said the attempt to pass sweeping changes the judiciary was illegal "logrolling." Many attorneys, as well as the Arkansas Bar Association, have vocally opposed Issue 1.
NW News on 09/07/2018