IN RE: ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NUMBER 2

___ S.W.3d ___

Supreme Court of Arkansas

Delivered December 9, 1999

Per Curiam. The coming of the year 2000 necessitates a change in Administrative Order Number 2 regarding the numbering of cases. Instead of two digits (99-1) for the docket year, the case number needs to be four digits (2000-1). Accordingly, subsection (a) of Administrative Order Number 2 is amended by substituting the word "four" in place of "last two" in the second sentence of that subsection.

We also direct that the Supreme Court Clerk make a similar change it its method of numbering cases filed in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

The amendment to Administrative Order Number 2 shall be effective January 1, 2000.

Subsection (a) is republished below, as amended.

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NUMBER 2 -- DOCKETS AND OTHER RECORDS

(a) Docket. The clerk shall keep a book known as a "civil docket," a book known as a "chancery docket," a book known as a "probate docket," and a book known as a "criminal docket," and a book known as a "juvenile docket," and shall enter therein each action. Cases shall be assigned docket numbers in the order of filing and beginning with the first case filed each year in each court, the four digits of the current year shall be entered, followed by a hyphen and the number assigned to the case, beginning with the number "1". For further identification, the court may direct that the letters "CIV" or "CR" precede the docket number for cases filed in circuit court, that the letters "E"or "J" precede the docket number for cases filed in chancery court, and that the letter "P" precede the docket number for cases filed in probate court.

All papers filed with the Clerk, all process issued and returns thereon, all appearances, orders, verdicts and judgments shall be noted chronologically in the dockets and filed in the folio assigned to the action and shall be marked with its file number. These entries shall be brief, but shall show the nature of each paper filed or writ issued and the substance of each order or judgment of the Court and of the returns showing execution of process. The entry of an order or judgment shall show the date the entry is made. Where there has been a demand for trial by jury it shall be shown on the docket along with the date upon which demand was made.