An Arkansas Court of Appeals judge with a decade of experience on the bench is running for reelection, he announced Friday.
Judge Raymond Abramson was first appointed to the court by then-Gov. Mike Beebe in 2010 to finish out the term of then-Judge D. Price Marshall Jr., who was appointed U.S. district judge in the Eastern District of Arkansas.
Abramson served until December 2012 and was then elected to the court in 2014. The Holly Grove resident represents District 1, Position 1.
State law requires Abramson, 70, to forfeit his judicial retirement if he starts a new term. In an interview Monday, he said he was motivated to pursue reelection by his "love of the job and the satisfaction it brings me to be able to use my background and skills and experience for the benefit of the state of Arkansas."
Abramson described his judicial philosophy as pragmatic and touted his experience, skills and knowledge of the law.
"I spent my 40-year legal career representing individuals and companies across Arkansas, and from that experience, I learned that it's important for the judiciary to take into account the practical necessities of the way that business is done in the state," he said.
Before his appointment to the court, Abramson practiced law in Clarendon for 36 years, according to a news release from his campaign. He has also served as public defender for Monroe County, municipal judge for Clarendon, police court judge and city attorney for Holly Grove, and a special justice to the Arkansas Supreme Court on several occasions.
"I am proud to be a fourth-generation resident of Holly Grove and privileged to have served my community in numerous positions over the years. My many years of representing individuals and companies, along with knowledge of the law and small-town values, have informed by career and provide the foundation for continued success on the Court of Appeals," he said in the release. "I will continue to work diligently to render fair, impartial and appropriate decisions in all cases that come before us, as well as, to improve the administration of justice in our state."
Abramson is a graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law. He has been married to his wife, Mockie, for 44 years. They have two adult children, Anne and Emily.
The nonpartisan judicial election and partisan primary election is May 24, 2022, according to the secretary of state's office.
The Arkansas Court of Appeals is the state's intermediate appellate court, tasked with reviewing lower court decisions. Its judges are paid $179,123 annually. The court's chief judge is paid $181,855 a year.
The court is made up of 12 judges who serve staggered eight-year terms.