Quorum

Jefferson County Legal Battle Intensifies: Circuit Judge Halts Payment Orders Amid Quorum Court Dispute

by

JEFFERSON CITY, Ark. — A circuit judge has temporarily halted a recent ruling involving the approval of legal payments by Jefferson County’s Quorum Court. The decision affects a directive issued by special County Judge Efrem Neely Sr., which called for Judge Gerald Robinson to finalize payments for legal services provided by the county. Neely’s ruling on July 29 required County Clerk Shawndra Taggart to gather and present all pending invoices from the Paragould law firm Branch Thompson Warmath Dale & Butler for his signature. However, one day later, North Little Rock Attorney Casey Castleberry, representing … Read more

Jefferson County Seeks Resolution: Quorum Court Takes New Approach to Budget Stalemate After Five-Month Delay

by

PINE BLUFF, Ark. — Jefferson County’s quorum court is working to reach a budget agreement after nearly five months of deliberation. The community has been operating without a formally passed budget, leading to significant disruption in local governance. Disputes among quorum court members and County Judge Gerald Robinson have caused extended governmental shutdowns. During this period, Senate Bill 182 was enacted, requiring counties without an approved budget to continue employee payments and operate based on the previous year’s budget. Therefore, Jefferson County has been utilizing its 2024 budget since the bill’s implementation. Recently, a motion … Read more

Marathon Court Session Unravels as Jefferson County Judge Sues Quorum Court Over Procedural Disputes

by

PINE BLUFF, Ark. — In an extensive legal battle in Pine Bluff, a nearly 10-hour testimony unfolded on Thursday before Special Judge Randy Wright in the Second Division of the 11th West Circuit Court. The case involves County Judge Gerald Robinson suing the entire Quorum Court of Jefferson County, alleging that the governing body has been operating illegally without an updated procedural ordinance since January 2023. Robinson’s lawsuit, part of a series initiated since 2022 against justices of the peace or other elected officials, claims malpractice over the Quorum Court operating under an outdated 2021 … Read more