Three longtime lawyers -- Amy Dunn Johnson, Gary Rogers and Jay Shue -- have stepped forward to seek the vote to replace retiring Pulaski County Circuit Judge Richard Moore.
Moore, 72, a family-court judge first elected in 1973, is one of the six judges in the 6th Judicial Circuit of Perry and Pulaski counties who have chosen not to run for another term.
Circuit judges who are elected after reaching age 70 are required to give up their retirement benefits. The judges earn $168,096 per year and are elected for six-year terms.
Early voting runs through Monday, and the election is Tuesday. If no candidate wins a clear majority, the two candidates receiving the most votes will face off in the November general election.
Moore's successor as 15th Division judge will take over a court that focuses mainly on family law.
Johnson, 45, of Little Rock has been an attorney for 18 years and executive director of the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission for the past 10 years.
"I've worked in both the private and public sectors, representing clients ranging from large health care systems to individuals without the resources to pay a lawyer," she said. " I've spent more than 10 years working with judges, court staff, attorneys, and those who are representing themselves to improve how the system works for everyone.
"I've helped write court rules that make legal representation more affordable for everyday Arkansans and advocated for initiatives to improve health, co-founding Harmony Health Clinic and advising on the creation of the state's first medical-educational-legal partnership."
Working with such a large cross-section of the community has taught her how to get along with people from all backgrounds, Johnson said.
"I am adept at meeting people where they are," she said. "A successful judge should be empathetic and culturally competent in order to ensure that people who come to court and are struggling with disabilities, limited literacy, generational poverty, or other social disadvantage still have a meaningful opportunity to get their legal problems solved. Judges cannot be advocates for one side or the other, but they can level the playing field by using plain language, by explaining court rules and procedures, by asking questions, and by listening."
Johnson said her greatest professional accomplishments include being named in 2012 as one of 10 recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Leaders Award for her work in establishing the Harmony clinic, which provides free health care, dental services and medications to poor and uninsured Pulaski County residents.
Rogers, 63, a family-law attorney for 35 years and former district judge of 21 years, said he'll be able to start hearing cases immediately.
"My combined experience and lifetime passion for family law is what distinguishes me from other choices," he said. "I believe my role as a family law attorney will make a transition to our family court seamless, and I'll be ready on day one. I understand the importance of listening and holding people accountable.
"My passion for helping families stems from my dedication to always put children first. As family-court judge, I will hold parents accountable for the well-being of their children and will work to always ask this important question: How are the children?"
Rogers works for the Dover Dixon Horne law firm, whose collaborative style has developed him as "a leader to emphasize alternatives to protracted litigation, saving people money on legal fees and getting things resolved in an open, transparent way," he said.
Outside the courtroom, Rogers said, he's learned some of the best lessons of his life from coaching youth sports.
"Coaching youth sports -- baseball, football, and basketball -- has given me invaluable insight about life and how one person can have a positive impact on a young person's life," he said.
Among his greatest honors, Rogers said, was his selection in 2017 and 2019 by Best Lawyers legal guide as Lawyer of the Year in Family Law. It's an award that means more because it " signifies my peers' and clients' view of my dedication," Rogers said.
He said his time as Prairie County district judge in Hazen also was rewarding.
"Serving as district judge for more than 21 years was a distinction, but it was also hard work to have court -- including night court," he said. "That position allowed me to protect victims of domestic violence."
Shue, 50, was licensed in 1996 and offers more than 18 years of combined public service as a Pulaski County deputy prosecutor and Arkansas' first Medicaid inspector general.
"I have a proven record of excellence in public service," he said. "I protected your tax dollars by fighting fraud, waste and abuse. My extensive courtroom experience, gained from having tried hundreds of cases, has given me a unique perspective and understanding of the rules of evidence and civil/criminal procedures."
Shue, the former head of the attorney general's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit under Dustin McDaniel, was appointed to the inspector general post by then-Gov. Mike Beebe. He has since moved into private practice, specializing in health care.
"After practicing law as a government official for almost two decades, I decided to become even more well-rounded and practice in the private sector," he said. My experiences to that point helped me to transition to representing and assisting clients through the important and ever-changing health care arena."
Shue said the circuit judge position is the "pinnacle" of the legal profession because it allows him "to serve the most amount of people and do the most good for the rest of my career."
Shue calls his commitment to integrity his distinguishing feature as a judicial candidate.
"[It] is one of the many qualities others cite as a distinction when appointing me to important positions or in retaining me to represent them," he said. "It is also the quality I am most proud of since it incorporates trust, an unwavering moral compass, and the 'Do Right Rule.' In life we will all experience hardships, and one's integrity and faith should be consistent and unwavering."
Shue said his greatest accomplishments include establishing the inspector general's office after receiving the appointment and receiving an award from the U.S. Justice Department that he shared with the attorney general's fraud investigation unit for helping federal agents prosecute a doctor for Medicaid fraud, he said.
Shue said he also has been honored in his run for judge to have the support of his 1988 graduating class from Catholic High School, among them Marvin Boyd, Matt Chandler and Steve Straessle.
According to the latest figures from the secretary of state office, Johnson has reported collecting $40,860 in contributions while spending $47,688. The agency lists her top five donors as Jim Dunn of Fort Smith and McDaniel, the former attorney general, who each have contributed $1,500; Meredith Catlett of Little Rock, who has donated $1,050, and Ainee and Ali Raja of Little Rock, who each contributed $1,000.
The secretary of state shows that Rogers has received $32,520 in contributions while spending $88,259. His top donors are Cydney Smith of Little Rock, with $2,800, while R. Lee Hinson of Little Rock and Judson Kidd of Little Rock have contributed $1,500 apiece. Sam Hilburn of North Little Rock and Ron Hope of Little Rock have each donated $1,000, according to the state agency.
Shue reports receiving $64,300 in contributions with expenditures of $52,630. The secretary of state lists his top donors as Michael Morton, William Patterson III of Texarkana, David Hodges of Little Rock and Marion Hodges of Sherwood, who each contributed $2,800.
Eligible voters for this race include all Perry County residents and Pulaski County residents who live in the northwestern two-thirds of the county. Voters must reside in precincts 1-15, 17-52, 56-115, 121-127 and 136-137.
Metro on 02/28/2020