Jefferson County judges send letter to Quorum Court, county judge about ‘dire consequences’ of budget impasse
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ark. – The ongoing failure to pass a Jefferson County budget has led six circuit judges to send a letter to the quorum court justices and the county judge.
The letter cautions that the failure to pass a budget is stifling programs and services many people in the county depend upon. Judges Rob Wyatt, Jodi Dennis, Earnest Brown, Alex Guynn, Mac Norton and Jackie Harris said continued inaction could have “devastating consequences.”
“As judges, we are duty-bound to remain impartial and cannot, and will not, take a position on the disagreements underlying the budget impasse,” the letter states. “However, we feel compelled to highlight the dire consequences this situation is having on the administration of justice and on the well-being of those who depend on the court system.”
Programs focused on at-risk youth are at-risk, the judges wrote, and “have been instrumental in preventing juvenile crime and providing opportunities for at-risk youth, are now at risk of suspension.”
Jefferson County has no approved budget for 2025, meaning its employees and vendors are not being paid. The quorum court, headed by Judge Gerald Robinson, has met several times to hammer out a budget but remains at an impasse as the only budget being put up for a vote by the judge is unacceptable to a majority of justices.
The judges continued that the courts are at a standstill and child custody, adoption and divorce cases cannot move forward. Also, the adult and juvenile drug courts are at risk, they said, affecting “a critical resource for reducing substance abuse and recidivism.”
The judges conclude that what is at stake is more than budget administration.
“This budget impasse is not just an administrative challenge; it is a crisis of justice, safety, and community trust,” the letter states. “Every day without resolution compounds the harm to Jefferson County, eroding the confidence of our citizens in their government and threatening the safety and well-being of our community.”
They then urge the county judge and justices to work together and thank them for their “dedication to the residents of Jefferson County.”
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