Supreme Court of Arkansas
Opinion delivered April 14, 1997
PER CURIAM.
On February 26, 1996, this Court issued Administrative Order Number 8 — Forms for Reporting Case Information in All Arkansas Trial Courts. The Order required that beginning July 1, 1996, standardized forms would be used for the collection of case data in all general jurisdiction trial courts.
Since the inception of the new reporting procedures, the Court has received feedback from judges and court clerks recommending certain clarifications and/or modifications.
Having carefully considered these recommendations, effective immediately upon issuance, the Court republishes Administrative Order Number 8 in its entirety incorporating those recommendations the Court deems appropriate.
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO 8 — FORMS FOR REPORTING CASE INFORMATION IN ALL ARKANSAS TRIAL COURTS
SECTION 1. SCOPE.
Beginning July 1, 1996, in every action filed in the circuit, chancery, and probate courts, a form designed for the uniform collection of case data shall be completed and filed with the initial pleading and again at final disposition. The civil, chancery, probate and juvenile forms, while required, are solely for the purpose of collecting statistical case data and shall not be admissible as evidence in any court proceeding or replace or supplement the filing and service of pleadings, orders, or other papers as required by law or the rules of this Court. This Order in no way affects the use of the Judgment and Commitment Order or Judgment and Disposition Order in judicial proceedings as authorized by Court Rule or statute.
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SECTION II. RESPONSIBILITY FOR FORMS.
a. Administrative Office of the Courts.
The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) shall be responsible for the content and format of the forms after consultation with other appropriate agencies or as may be required by law. The AOC shall be responsible for training in the use of these forms and for initial dissemination of the forms.
b. Court Clerk.
The court clerk shall not accept an initial pleading which is not accompanied by the appropriate completed form. The court clerk shall maintain a supply of forms to ensure their availability to attorneys or pro se litigants. The court clerk shall weekly forward a copy of the forms which have been filed to the AOC unless the court clerk or other official as designated by the trial court reports electronically to the AOC. Those counties which report electronically should not send copies of the paper forms unless specifically requested to do so by the AOC. These forms shall replace all forms currently used for reporting case data to the AOC. For the purposes of this Administrative Order, court clerk means the elected circuit, chancery, or county clerk, or his/her deputy clerks in whose office a pleading, order, judgment, or decree is filed.
SECTION III. PROCEDURE.
a. Criminal Cases.
The office of the prosecuting attorney shall be responsible for completion of the criminal information form and for filing it in the Office of the Circuit Clerk who shall forward a copy to the AOC pursuant to SECTION II.b.
Upon conviction and sentencing to the Arkansas Department of Correction, the office of the prosecuting attorney shall be responsible for completion of the Judgment and Commitment Order. The Order shall be submitted to the circuit judge for signature and filed in the Office of the Circuit Clerk. The clerk shall forward a copy to the AOC pursuant to SECTION II.b.
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Where the final disposition does not result in a commitment to the Arkansas Department of Correction but may include any of the following — an order of probation, suspended imposition of sentence, commitment to the Department of Community Punishment or to the county jail, a fine, restitution, and/or court costs — the office of the prosecuting attorney shall be responsible for completion of the Judgment and Disposition Order which shall be submitted to the circuit judge for signature and filed in the Office of the Circuit Clerk. The clerk shall forward a copy to the AOC pursuant to SECTION II.b.
b. Civil Circuit. Chancery and Probate Cases.
When an action is commenced, the attorney or pro se litigant filing the initial pleading shall be responsible for completion of the filing information on the appropriate reporting form, and that form shall be filed with the court clerk. The court clerk shall not accept the pleading unless it is accompanied by the reporting form. The court clerk shall file the original in the case file and shall forward a copy of the reporting form to the AOC pursuant to SECTION II.b.
When the final order/decree/judgment is filed with the court clerk, the clerk or other appropriate official as designated by the trial court shall complete the disposition information on the original form in the case file. The court clerk shall sign, date, and forward a copy of the completed reporting form to the AOC pursuant to SECTION II.b.
c. Juvenile Division Chancery Cases.
When an action is commenced, unless otherwise designated by the juvenile division judge, the attorney or pro se litigant filing the petition shall be responsible for completion of the filing information on the appropriate reporting form, and that form shall be filed with the court clerk. The court clerk shall not accept an initial pleading unless it is accompanied by the reporting form. The court clerk shall forward a copy of the reporting form to the AOC pursuant to Section II.b.
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Pursuant to A.C.A. Sec. 16-13-603(d)(2), the juvenile division judge shall designate a staff person who shall be responsible for completing the disposition information on the appropriate juvenile reporting form when an order is entered and forwarding the form to the court clerk for filing. The court clerk shall not accept the order unless it is accompanied by the reporting form. The court clerk shall sign, date, and forward a
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