Arkansas Supreme Court says new chief justice tried to fire several officials
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court on Friday said new Chief Justice Karen Baker tried to unilaterally fire several top officials with the court shortly after taking office this week, and the court issued new rules to block the firings.
The court ordered to establish procedures for firing employees, saying the move was necessary after Baker attempted to fire several people. Baker, who was elected chief justice in November, did not return a message seeking comment Friday afternoon.
“If carried out, those terminations would disrupt the administration of justice across the state of Arkansas,” the court’s order said. “The Chief Justice did not notify—let alone consult—the court before attempting to unilaterally fire these long-tenured court employees.”
Baker and Justice Courtney Goodson did not participate in the order.
According to the order, Baker told the director of the administrative office of the courts and the Supreme Court’s police chief on Thursday she was going to fire them over their responses to open-records requests about her. The next day, Baker fired the chief and prepared letters of termination for at least 10 other employees.
The order did not identify the records about Baker, but Arkansas Business published a story last month about Baker entering Administrative Office of the Courts Director Marty Sullivan’s office when he wasn’t there. Baker told the paper she went there to arrange a tour of that office and said she didn’t touch anything.
The court said the firings appeared to be “retaliatory,” and that some of the employees targeted have pending human resources complaints against Baker. The chief justice didn’t give a specific reason to other justices or the employees for the firings, the order said.
Under Friday’s order, firing the Administrative Office of the Courts Director requires the support of at least four justices. The AOC director has sole hiring and firing responsibility for their staff. The court’s order rescinds any firings that occurred on or after Wednesday in violation of the procedures — effectively reversing Baker’s firings.
Baker defeated fellow Justice Rhonda Wood in the chief justice race in November. The court’s seats are technically nonpartisan, though Republican-backed justices hold five of the seven court seats.
The two vying for chief justice were on opposite sides of a ruling the court issued last year blocking an abortion-rights measure from the November ballot. Wood wrote the court’s majority opinion upholding election officials’ decision to reject petitions for the measure, while Baker wrote a blistering dissent criticizing the court’s ruling.