Arkansas Supreme Court recognizes retiring Justice Josephine Linker Hart

Posted: Nov 12, 2020 / 10:52 AM CST

Updated: Nov 12, 2020 / 01:14 PM CST

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Josephine Linker Hart has retired after 8 years and the high court is recognizing her dedicated service as an associate justice.

Justice Hart has devoted her life to public service. After she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree at Arkansas Tech University in 1965, she went on to join the United States Army where she was stationed in Japan during the Vietnam War and was promoted to the rank of Captain.

Justice Hart then went on to join the Army Reserves while also entering into law school at the University of Arkansas in 1969. After she graduated from law school in 1971 she went on to be a clerk for Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Frank Holt.

Following her clerkship, Justice Hart maintained a thriving law practice in Batesville and Mountain View for over 20 years. She retired from the Army Reserve as a Colonel in the Judge Advocate General Corps with more than twenty years of military service.

Justice Hart was elected to the Arkansas Court of Appeals in 1998 and served that court until her election to the state Supreme Court in 2012.

Always viewed as a strong advocate of Arkansans; she has dedicated her time to the appellate bench in protecting the Arkansas Constitution with a focus on the rights of the poor and those incarcerated.

As a member of the supreme court, Justice Hart was instrumental in establishing an Attorney Emeritus status for attorneys licensed to practice law for at least fifty years. She also served as liaison to the Supreme Court Committee on Civil Practice, the Committee on Criminal Practice, and the Committee on Model Jury Instructions–Criminal.

In March of this year, Barbara Womack Webb beat Morgan Welch to win the seat as her replacement.