Appeals Judge Jo Hart To Run For Supreme Court
by January 23, 2012 5:44 pm 101 views
Court of Appeals Judge Jo Hart announced Monday that she will seek election to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Hart is currently serving her fourteenth year as an appellate judge on the Arkansas Court of Appeals.
“With the help of many friends from every corner of the state, today I turned in to the Secretary of State more than 15,000 signatures to place my name on the ballot for the May 22, 2012 election. Gathering these petitions is consistent with my belief in the importance of having a strong grassroots candidacy,” she said.
In a press release, Hart expressed caution about the spending levels of judicial elections. She said the 2010 elections for the Supreme Court “involved campaign spending at never before seen levels in Arkansas judicial races, with the amount exceeding $2 million dollars.”
“We are facing a critical time in our state when it comes to electing justices to the Supreme Court. My concern is that overspending in Arkansas judicial races may erode the public’s confidence in the impartiality and integrity of our judges,” said Hart. “I don’t want Arkansas to be like other states, where citizens perceive that justice is for sale.”
Judge Hart lives in Mountain View with her husband Brook of 38 years. Hart will face Raymond Abramson, who was appointed to the Arkansas Court of Appeals by Gov. Mike Beebe in 2010.