Pulaski County Circuit Judge Cara Connors at a hearing Wednesday morning granted a motion to dismiss the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation from litigation over the condition of the Pike-Fletcher-Terry House but denied a motion to dismiss the museum itself as a defendant.
The lawsuit was originally filed in October 2021 by six heirs of the two sisters who granted the historic mansion on East Seventh Street to the city of Little Rock in 1964 for the use and benefit of what was then known as the Arkansas Arts Center.
In addition to the museum and the foundation, the complaint named the city of Little Rock.
In February 2022, then-Judge Alice Gray granted a motion to dismiss filed by the foundation while granting in part and denying in part the museum's motion to dismiss.
Gray gave the plaintiffs a window of time to file an amended complaint and their attorney Richard H. Mays did shortly thereafter.
Connors took over the case after Gray retired. On Wednesday, Mays along with attorney John Tull, who represents the museum and the museum's foundation, gave arguments before the judge on the pending motions to dismiss the latest complaint.
The foundation was dismissed as a defendant without prejudice, meaning claims could be filed against the foundation again in the future.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more details.