Arkansas 4th Judicial District, Division 8 Court

09/11/2026

A big shout out to April Rye Shy as she transitions away from representing children and youth in juvenile court. Ms. Shy has served as the attorney in Family in Need of Services (FINS) cases for thirty (30) years. In these cases, Ms. Shy has tirelessly advocated for young people who are habitually truant from school or are engaging in behaviors that pose a threat to themselves or others. We are so thankful for her tireless efforts on behalf of these at-risk youth and saying we are going to miss her in that position is a huge understatement. It will be the beginning of a new era starting October 1 when someone will face the challenge of filling her shoes. Thank you, Ms. Shy. We wish you well as you move on to your next chapter.

09/08/2026

A reminder -- the parking lot at the annex is being striped today starting at 4:30. Please be sure to leave the parking lot by 4:30 p.m. today. Thanks for your cooperation.

08/11/2026

Once a year we gather to celebrate our successes, reflect on our challenges, and set new goals for the coming year. We also engage in team building to forge healthy workplace relationships. This year the officers went to Painting with a Twist and produced the artwork below.Thanks to the officers for your hard work in juvenile court

08/04/2026

Ralenn McBee, our Court Reporter, has retired. We are sad to see her go, but wish her the best in her next chapter. Her departure means WE'RE HIRING. If you wish to be considered to serve as the next Division 8 Court Reporter, please contact the court's Trial Court Administrator, Taylor Ferguson at [email protected].

05/01/2026

Today we celebrate Law Day - a day to learn about and reflect on how the rule of law protects our ability to pursue our dreams.

04/15/2026

Child Advocacy Centers like the Children's Safety Center are an invaluable resource for those who have suffered abuse.

Child Advocacy Centers in Arkansas offer child and family advocacy, forensic interviews, medical exams, community education, mental health programs and more. Help us fight child abuse. Report to 1.844.SAVE.A.CHILD.
CACarkansas.org

04/15/2026

Please join us on May 1 to celebrate Law Day.

04/15/2026

Law Day is an annual event to recognize the importance of the rule of law in our community.

This morning attorneys from the Washington County Public Defender’s Office spoke with Mr. Meek’s 8th grade class at LISA Academy in Springdale. They talked about Law Day and the importance of the Rule of Law with this engaged group of students!

04/02/2026

Preventing child abuse requires an awareness and understanding of the nature and extent of the problem. At the end of fiscal year 2025 (June 2025), there were 3,390 children in foster care in Arkansas. That's only a small number of children who have suffered abuse or neglect. In 2025 the Department of Human Services received 32,574 reports of child maltreatment. Of those reports, 20% (6,500) were found to be TRUE. The majority of the substantiated reports were for neglect (64%). Other types of abuse were physical and sexual abuse. Most of the cases were dealt with outside of court with the Department of Human Services offering guidance without removing the children from the home. Of the 3,000 children that did enter foster care, most of them came into care due to neglect or substance abuse by a parent or parental incarceration.

04/01/2026

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation establishing April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. In his Proclamation, President Reagan recognized that abuse of children occurs in all segments of our society, that child abuse is a national concern but it is a community and family problem first and answers must be found at the community level. He noted that there is a place for everyone in the effort to reduce child abuse. This April, we are focused on highlighting how our court works with community partners to address child abuse.