Warren, Stephenson lead judicial races

Terra Stephenson (left) and Diane Warren
Terra Stephenson (left) and Diane Warren

FAYETTEVILLE -- Diane Warren and Terra Stephenson were leading in their races for judgeships in Tuesday's judicial runoff elections.

Warren was leading Conrad Odom for a new circuit judge seat for the 4th Judicial District. The district includes Washington and Madison counties.

Partial results released Tuesday included early, absentee and some Election Day votes. They are:

Warren ... 42,512 (53%)

Odom ... 38,018 (47%)

The judge is expected to hear some domestic relations cases and half the juvenile cases in the district, including delinquency, dependent-neglect and family in need of services.

The judge will take office Jan. 1 as the 8th Division judge. The state Legislature approved an additional circuit judge for the district last year.

Warren, 56, is a former attorney ad litem, a lawyer appointed by a court to act as an advocate for the best interests of a minor. She is chairwoman-elect of the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Section of the Arkansas Bar Association and has been selected to author an updated version of the Domestic Relations Handbook, a legal resource.

Odom, 54, has practiced law for 28 years and is a certified mediator.

Elections in Arkansas for judges are nonpartisan. Circuit judges serve six-year terms and are paid $172,298 a year.

Warren and Odom were the top vote-getters in the March judicial election, but neither received enough votes to win. Warren got 10,741 votes (28%) while Odom received 8,944 (24%) of the votes cast in March.

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Diane Warren (left) and Conrad Odom (right)

DISTRICT COURT

Stephenson was ahead of Mark Scalise in the runoff for the District 2, Division 4 judgeship.

Partial results released Tuesday are:

Stephenson ... 41,820 (55%)

Scalise ... 34,341 (45%)

The judge will take office Jan. 1.

Washington County is state District 2 and has four judges who hold court in different parts of the county. The positions are nonpartisan and voted on countywide. A small portion of Springdale that extends into Benton County also voted on the race.

The Division 4 seat is being vacated by Judge William Storey.

District courts have jurisdiction over traffic violations, misdemeanor offenses, violations of state law and local ordinances, preliminary felony matters and civil matters involving contracts, damage to personal property and recovery of personal property where the amount in controversy doesn't exceed $25,000.

Stephenson, 45, served as a senior deputy prosecutor in the 4th Judicial District.

Scalise, 60, a lawyer for 27 years in Washington County and Philadelphia, is a former deputy prosecutor in Washington and Madison counties.

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Mark Scalise (left) and Terra Stephenson candidates for the District 2, Division 4 district court seat.

More News

The following is the complete, but unofficial results from another judicial contest for circuit court in the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s coverage area:

12th JUDICIAL DISTRICT

Circuit Court, Division 6

Rita Watkins … 14,365 (40%)

Greg Magness … 21,971 (60%)

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Greg Magness candidate for 12th JUDICIAL DISTRICT

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Rita Howard Watkins candidate for 12th JUDICIAL DISTRICT

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