In light of a global pandemic, the United States of America and the State of Arkansas, working in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and the Arkansas Department of Health, respectively, have taken extraordinary measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, commonly known as the Coronavirus. On March 11, 2020, the Governor of Arkansas issued Executive Order 20-03, declaring a state emergency. On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared a national emergency. On March 16, 2020, the President of the United States, following the guidance of the CDC, strongly discouraged public gatherings of more than ten (10) people.
Accordingly, my office and deputy prosecutors are working with assigned judges as well as defense counsel to have current criminal court dates rescheduled. Below is information regarding the cases that were either originally scheduled or continued until April 24, 2020 in Craighead County.
Criminal Plea and Arraignment is continued from April 24, 2020 to May 20, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. For individuals whose last names begin with the letters A-L, your reporting time is 9:00 a.m. For individuals whose last names begin with the letters M-Z, your reporting time is 1:00 p.m. Masks are to be worn and social distancing maintained at all times. If you have not spoken to an attorney, please make contact with the Craighead County Public Defender’s Office at 870-932-6226 immediately.
Click here to see the Order signed by Judge Cindy Thyer regarding this continuance.
If other changes are made, they will be posted here. You may also see the Second Judicial District’s Facebook page to see the continuance dates on not only criminal court dates, but other divisions as well. Please note that the Second Judicial District’s Facebook page and staff are not affiliated with the prosecutor’s office and is used solely to share court schedule changes across the judicial district with the general public. Their Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/Second-Judicial-District-State-of-Arkansas-1680232762216171