Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Wednesday his intention to appoint Judge Chris Carnahan as district judge in Faulkner and Van Buren counties.
Carnahan is currently the Division 1 judge in the 20th Judicial Circuit, which includes Faulkner, Searcy and Van Buren counties.
Carnahan will replace Judge Susan Weaver, the Ninth District, Division 2 judge who was elected in May to take over Carnahan's job in the 20th Judicial Circuit.
Carnahan couldn't run for re-election because he was appointed to fill the vacancy created after Mike Murphy was elected to the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Under Arkansas law, Weaver will serve two years, which is the remainder of Murphy's six-year term.
Carnahan's term will begin Jan. 1 and expire Dec. 31, 2020.
"Judge Carnahan has the right work ethic and judicial temperament to be an outstanding district court judge," Hutchinson said in a news release.
Carnahan previously served as general counsel for the state Board of Pharmacy, as senior deputy prosecuting attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit, and as deputy prosecuting attorney for the 15th Judicial Circuit.
Carnahan began his legal career as an associate with Tatum, Tatum & Riedel of Danville, and he has practiced solo, according to the news release. He served as city attorney for several small municipalities in central and western Arkansas.
Carnahan received his law degree from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Carnahan lives in Conway.
Arkansas has 121 circuit judges, each elected in one of 28 circuits for six-year terms of office, according to the Arkansas Judiciary website, arcourts.gov.
Arkansas circuit courts handle felony criminal cases in addition to civil, domestic relations, probate and juvenile cases.
Arkansas has 37 state district courts and 35 local district courts. The district courts handle minor civil and criminal cases in addition to small claims, according to the judiciary website. District judges are elected to four-year terms.
Metro on 11/22/2018