Ark. Code Ann. § 16-17-115 (2026)

1. Except as authorized otherwise, the county in which a district court is held shall pay one-half (½) of the salaries of the district court judge and each chief district court clerk of any district court organized in that county under § 16-17-901 et seq., and the quorum court in a county subject to § 16-17-901 et seq. at its annual meeting shall make an appropriation of a sum sufficient to pay the county's proportion of the expenses of any such district court. These payments shall be made out of the general revenues of the county.
2. 1. 1. Except as authorized otherwise, the town or city in which a district court is held shall pay:
         1. One-half (½) of the salaries of the district court judge and the chief district court clerk; and
         2. The operational expenses of the district court organized in that town or city under § 16-17-901 et seq. unless otherwise agreed to by the political subdivisions that contribute to the expenses of the district court.
      2. The governing body of the town or city in a town or city subject to § 16-17-901 et seq. shall make at its annual meeting an appropriation of a sum sufficient to pay the town's or city's proportion of the salaries and operational expenses of the district court.
   2. These payments shall be made out of the general revenues of the town or city.
3. 1. Any town or city operating a city court on December 31, 2011, that becomes a department of a district court shall continue to pay the amount paid as the base salary of the city court judge to the district court judge who has assumed the responsibility of attending the former city court.
   2. The base salary to be paid to the district court judge under subdivision (c)(1) of this section in calendar year 2012 and subsequent years shall be the amount paid by the city or town to the city court judge for the calendar year 2011.
4. 1. A town or city operating a city court on December 31, 2011, that becomes a department of district court shall continue to pay the salary of the district court clerk and provide for the operational expenses of that department of district court unless otherwise agreed to by the political subdivisions that contribute to the expenses of the district court.
   2. Subdivision (d)(1) of this section does not apply to any town or city that has abolished a department of district court pursuant to state law.
5. A district court operated solely by the county shall have the salaries and operational expenses of that district court paid solely by the county unless otherwise agreed to by the political subdivisions that contribute to the expenses of the district court.

History. Acts 1951, No. 45, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, § 22-720.1; Acts 1987, No. 431, § 7; 2003, No. 1185, § 109; 2007, No. 663, § 35; 2015, No. 530, § 1.

A.C.R.C. Notes. The Arkansas District Judge Retirement System, § 24-8-801 et seq. referred to in (c)(3) was repealed by Acts 2009, No. 654, § 2.

Amendments. The 2007 amendment inserted “town's, and city's” in the section heading; rewrote (a); added (b) through (e); and made related changes.

The 2015 amendment deleted “district court cost fund and” preceding “general revenues” in (a) and (b)(2); deleted (c)(3); inserted “district” preceding “court paid” in (e); inserted “court” preceding “judge” and “district” preceding “court clerk” throughout the section; and made stylistic changes.

Cross References. District court generally, § 16-17-132.

Jurisdiction of circuit courts, Ark. Const. Amend. 80, §§ 6, 19.

Effective Dates. Acts 2007, No. 663, § 56, as amended by Acts 2009, No. 345, § 7, provided:

“(a) Sections 2 through 15 of this act are effective January 1, 2008.

“(b) Sections 16 through 50 and 52 through 55 of this act are effective January 1, 2012.

“(c) Section 51 of Act 663 of 2007 is effective January 1, 2012, except:

“(1) That portion of Section 51 of Act 663 of 2007 that is referred to in Act 663 of 2007 as 16-17-933, establishing the Cleburne County District Court and departments of that court, codified as § 16-17-936 is effective July 1, 2009; and

“(2) That portion of Section 51 of Act 663 of 2007 that is referred to in Act 663 of 2007 as 16-17-950, establishing the St. Francis County District Court and departments of that court, codified as § 16-17-954 is effective July 1, 2009.”