Supreme Court Justice Barbara Womack Webb
Age: 66
City of residence: Benton
Past legal experience: Supreme Court justice; Circuit judge; CEO and Chief Law Judge at Worker’s Compensation; Administrative Law judge; prosecuting attorney; 15 years in private practice
Why are you running to be chief? And why should Arkansans vote for you?
I believe the Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court needs to be principled, conservative, and experienced. I have a passion to serve the people of Arkansas and a proven record of improving the Justice system in our State.
I have over four decades of courtroom experience at all levels of the judicial system from private practice to prosecuting attorney to circuit judge to Justice on the Supreme Court. As Chief Executive Officer of a state agency, I managed over a hundred employees, and was responsible for the agency’s budget and daily operations. As Chief Administrative Law Judge, I oversaw the other administrative law judges and their caseloads. As the elected Prosecuting Attorney, I took over the office after the former Prosecutor was investigated and later convicted of running the office as a criminal enterprise. We cleaned up the office, trying hundreds of jury trials and shutting down hundreds of meth labs. As Circuit Judge, I presided over a large docket of cases following the prior Judge’s conviction and resignation for failing to pay income taxes. In each case, I
stepped forward to serve and improve the administration of justice.
I am hard-working and open-minded to looking at new ways of doing things. I approach a problem with common sense and logic. I remain calm and respectful of others even in the most difficult situations. I do not hesitate from taking on a challenge or worthy cause that other people might shy away from due to difficulty or personal consequences. I listen to all points of view and treat others as I would want to be treated.
I am guided by the words found in Micah 6:8: “What does the Lord require of thee? To seek Justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Your God.”
Would you favor making judicial elections partisan in Arkansas? Why or why not?
I believe that Arkansans made the choice of nonpartisan elections of Judges when they passed Amendment 80 to the Arkansas Constitution. Separation of Powers clearly mean that it is the role of the Judge or Courts to interpret the law and not make new law. I do believe it is confusing to the voters who vote for judges at the same time as the partisan primaries. While I believe all persons have individual beliefs and principles, a Judge takes an Oath to enforce the Constitution and laws of this State without personal bias or prejudice. Decisions must be based on the facts and applicable law. A Judge must be fair and independent without regard to a person’s race, gender, or financial status. In my service as a Prosecuting Attorney and a Judge, I have a proven record of protecting all citizens’ rights of equal protection under the law.
Judicial ethics has been a hot topic on the federal level. Are Arkansas’ state-level judicial ethics codes and guidelines strong enough? Why or why not?
I am the only candidate in this race that was selected and served on the Arkansas Ethics Commission. I believe that we must always be vigilant in adopting and enforcing responsible ethic codes and guidelines which require disclosure and compliance in accordance with the Constitution.
Beyond deciding cases as they come, are there any other priorities, activities or initiatives the Supreme Court and chief should focus on over the next few years?
In this day, our court needs a strong leader, and the voters are excited about my plan and vision for the court’s future. My priorities as the next Chief Justice would be:
A) We must restore trust and confidence in the Judicial system by upholding the rule of law and enforcing the Constitution. With hard work, determination, teamwork, and trustworthiness, I have successfully cleaned up corruption in a broken judicial system while restoring constitutional rights to criminal defendants and to victims of crime.
B) We must modernize the Judicial system with new technology. New technology brings transparency, accountability, and efficiency with new resources, such as increased access to court interpreters and video testimony, and electronic notification of upcoming court dates.
C) We must make our courts more accessible to all citizens. I believe we must work together to find ways to provide affordable legal representation to those who cannot afford an attorney or in locations where attorneys are not available. I believe we must clean up the backlogs that keep our defendants waiting in jail for trial and victims for their day of justice.
Can the state ever be made a defendant in her own courts?
Since 1874, the Arkansas Constitution has provided that “the State of Arkansas shall never be made a defendant in any of her courts.” Art. 5, Section 20. Sovereign immunity bars suits against the State if it seeks money damages against the State, except where specifically authorized in another provision of the Constitution, or where the State has acted illegally and beyond its authority.
