Fowlkes confirmed as a federal judge in Arkansas’ western district

Clay Fowlkes, who has since 2020 been the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the newest federal judge in the same district, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark.

Fowlkes, 47, who was nominated for the judicial post in October, began in 2007 working in the U.S. Attorney’s office, with his jobs including deputy criminal chief, criminal chief, and first assistant United States Attorney. He was named the attorney for the district in 2020.

Fowlkes’ nomination received a 13-9 favorable committee vote in mid January. He will succeed U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes III, who is in senior status with the court in Fort Smith.

“I am pleased to congratulate Clay Fowlkes on his confirmation and have great confidence his temperament, tireless dedication and extensive experience in pursuing justice will serve him well,” Boozman said in a statement. “He is committed to upholding and following the law, and I look forward to his success on the bench.”

According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the salary for a district judge is $249,900. There are 91 federal court districts nationwide, according to the office.

There have been 25 federal judges – not including magistrate judges – in the western district since the court’s creation in 1851, with Judge Isaac Parker being the fourth judge and the most storied. He was on the bench from 1875 to 1896.

Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Holmes has been nominated to succeed Fowlkes as U.S. Attorney for Arkansas’ western district. Holmes was elected in November 2022 as the Crawford County prosecuting attorney. Prior to that he was a former deputy city prosecutor for Van Buren and is a founding member of Van Buren-based Hopkins & Holmes law firm.

The Western District of Arkansas includes 34 counties stretching from Texarkana and El Dorado to Fayetteville and Fort Smith. It is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation for this district. This includes criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers.

Other judges now in the Western District are Chief Judge Timothy Brooks (Fayetteville bench), Holmes (Fort Smith) Judge Susan Hickey (El Dorado), Magistrate Judge Christy Comstock (Fayetteville), Magistrate Judge Mark Ford (Fort Smith), and Magistrate Judge Spencer Singleton (El Dorado).