Attorney Jay Martin says he will seek Chief Justice seat on Arkansas Supreme Court

Then, there were four.

North Little Rock attorney Jay Martin said he plans to run for the Chief Justice seat for the Arkansas Supreme Court in 2024. Chief Justice John Dan Kemp is not seeking re-election.

Three other Supreme Court justices have announced for the position. They include Justice Karen Baker, Justice Barbara Webb, and Justice Rhonda Wood.

Martin is an attorney with Wallace & Associates where he has served as president since 2006. His principal areas of practice are civil and criminal litigation, wills, trusts and estates, and business formation.

“I love the law. I’ve practiced law for over 26 years. I’ve been a leader in the law through my law firm,” Martin told Talk Business & Politics.

Martin, 53, is a former Democratic legislator who served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007 representing North Little Rock and Sherwood and was the House Majority Leader in the 85th General Assembly. He was a Democratic candidate for Arkansas governor in 2022.

He said he is running for Chief Justice because of his concerns for partisanship in the judicial branch.

“I’m concerned about the partisan nature of the judiciary. I want the judiciary to be independent. I want to try to restore faith in the judiciary,” he said. “This is a nonpartisan race.”

Martin also said that with three sitting justices running for the top spot on the state’s high court, he believes a qualified candidate with no ties to the court could better represent everyday citizens.

“I’m an outsider. We have three justices running… I hope to be that outside voice that can restore trust in the judiciary,” Martin said. “I’ve represented regular Arkansans and I want to bring that perspective to the role.”