Arkansas courts are financed through state, county and city appropriations. The degree of funding from each source depends upon the level of jurisdiction of the court being funded. State government is the sole funding source for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, appellate court support staff, and the Administrative Office of the Courts. In addition, the state funds the salaries and costs of travel and educational assistance for circuit judges, and the salaries for court reporters and case coordinators. The state also pays for one-half of the salaries of juvenile intake and probation officers who serve the judges of the juvenile division of circuit court.

In 1995, the General Assembly enacted legislation which laid the groundwork for the state to begin the assumption of the responsibility for funding all court-related personnel at the trial court level. In that year, funding was provided for salaries for trial court administrative assistants for each trial judge. In 1997, the costs of the public defender system were assumed by the state. Legislation in 1999 provided for the state to begin to pay the salaries and expenses of deputy prosecuting attorneys. Even with these additional costs, the funds appropriated to the courts and for court-related activities represent only one-fourth of one percent of the total state government operating appropriation.

County government is the funding source for the salaries of all circuit court support and clerical staff and for all supplies, equipment, utilities and facilities within each judicial circuit. Each county within the circuit provides funding according to its pro rata share of the district-wide court expenses and is solely responsible for the costs of facilities and utilities within the county. County government pays all expenses of the county court, court of common pleas, and justice of the peace courts. The county government also shares with city government the cost of the district court. The county share is usually 50%, but there are numerous exceptions to this pattern in a variety of locally negotiated arrangements.

City government is responsible for the remainder of district court expenses not provided by county government and provides the sole support for city and police courts.

Arkansas Biennial Budget