Arkansas Supreme Court announces premiere of ‘Lady Justice: Women of the Court’ podcast

The podcast features women Supreme Court justices from four states, including Arkansas

Posted: Sep 17, 2020 / 11:05 AM CDT

Updated: Sep 17, 2020 / 11:08 AM CDT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- The Arkansas Supreme Court is announcing the release Thursday of a new podcast, Lady Justice: Women of the Court, featuring Justice Rhonda Wood of Arkansas, Chief Justice Bridget McCormack of Michigan, Justice Eva Guzman of Texas and Justice Beth Walker of West Virginia discussing the law and its real-world implications.

The podcast is launching on Constitution Day, which is observed every year on September 17 to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Consitution on September 17, 1787.

According to a news release from the Arkansas Supreme Court, Episode 1 features a discussion on state constitutions.

“When we talk about ‘the Constitution’ or ‘the Supreme Court,’ people are generally referring to the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. Supreme Court,” says Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Wood. “Yet so many aspects of our daily lives are governed by our state’s laws and our state’s constitution.”

United States residents all live under the U.S. Constitution, but every state also has its own constitution. According to the Arkansas Supreme Court, the written documents can vary significantly from state to state. Some may be more than a century old, while others may be only a few decades old. Officials say in some states, citizens are granted the power to amend or revise the constitution, while in other states this is not possible.

“We learn about these differences as each justice discusses the characteristics of her own state constitution,” says Justice Wood, who leads the discussion.

The podcast will focus on the nation’s state courts. Arkansas Supreme court officials say that is where the vast majority, more than 90 percent, are heard.

The podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, Listen Notes and other podcasting apps.

You can also find the podcast on www.arcourts.gov/ladyjustice.

Officials say Episode 2 will explore each justice’s journey to the Supreme Court and her personal experiences. The justices hope listeners will get to know them as people outside the courtroom.

Arkansas Supreme Court officials say the views expressed on the podcast are the justices’ alone and not the views of their respective courts.

The podcast is produced by the Arkansas Supreme Court’s Public Education Program.