UPDATE:
Gov. Asa Hutchinson has named University of Arkansas law professor Howard Brill as the next chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Brill will succeed Jim Hannah and fill out the remainder of his term, which expires at the end of 2016. The 70-year-old Hannah cited health issues as his reason for stepping down from the post at the end of the month. He's been chief justice for more than 10 years.
Brill thanked Hutchinson and Hannah as well as his wife of 45 years, Katherine, before outlining what he called the three main functions of the chief justice position: leading the court and making decisions, taking on administrative responsibilities, and becoming "in some way the face of justice for the people of Arkansas."
"That is a heavy responsibility," he said. "It requires education, it requires reaching out, it requires listening, it requires fulfilling all those roles of a judge in the way that we expect of all our judges. This is a wonderful opportunity; I am humbled by it, and I am pleased, governor, to accept this appointment."
Hutchinson said Brill brings everything he was seeking in a new chief justice including experience, leadership, respect among judges and lawyers across the state and a "judicial temperament that can bring people together in the court." He said the governor's office received "well over a dozen" recommendations for the opening.
"It did not take me too long even though there are many that would have high credentials for the court," Hutchinson said. "I don't believe anyone can fulfill that mandate and have the right judicial temperament and also have the right judicial philosophy than professor Howard Brill. ... I have no doubt that he is going to make an excellent chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court."
Hutchinson lauded Brill's experience and noted with a laugh that he is a fan of baseball and Johnny Cash.
"When I saw that, I said 'he's the right one,'" the governor joked.
Brill, who has taught at the law school since 1975 and has previously served as a special justice on the state's high court, said he anticipates serving out Hannah's term and then returning to the classroom as a professor.
See Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full coverage.
— Gavin Lesnick
EARLIER:
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is naming his pick to replace the chief justice of the state Supreme Court, who's resigning at the end of the month because of health problems.
The Republican governor plans to name his appointment Tuesday for the remainder of outgoing Chief Justice Jim Hannah's term. Hannah, whose term expires at the end of next year, announced earlier this month he was stepping down to focus on his health.
Hannah was first elected to the state Supreme court in 2000 and was elected chief justice in 2004. He was elected to a full eight-year term in 2008. He had been widely expected to not seek re-election next year.
Whoever Hutchinson appoints to the post will be barred from running for the chief justice position next year.
— The Associated Press