Recently, the Arkansas Bar Association sent out an email highlighting an important request from the Arkansas Supreme Court. Because of the significance of this issue, I am sharing the full text of the email immediately below:

 

Per the Arkansas Bar Association Legislative Update:

 

The debate in the Spring 2013 session of the Arkansas General Assembly over the rule making authority for the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure and recent cases involving issues of damages and liability in civil litigation gave rise to the Arkansas Supreme Court’s creation of the Special Task Force on Practice and Procedure in Civil Cases to review and/or revise the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure. 

 

The Task Force was appointed on August 2, 2013 in a per curiam cited as 2013 Ark 303.The Task Force issued its final report by December 31st, 2014 and the Supreme Court has issued a per curiam opinion, In Re Special Task Force on Practice and Procedure in Civil Cases.

One issue remains and will be addressed by the Task Force in a supplemental report: “The issue is whether to include in Ark. R. Evid. 702 a ‘same specialty’ requirement for experts in actions for medical injury.”

A 60-day public comment period began January 14, 2014. The proposed changes are in the following rules:

ARK. R. CIV. P. 3. Commencement of Action: “Clerk” Defined; Separate Actions and Filing Fees; Notice of Medical Injury.

ARK. R. CIV. P. 9. Pleading Special Matters.

ARK. R. CIV. P. 11. Signing of Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Sanctions.

ARK. R. CIV. P. 11.1. Actions for Medical Injury; Certificate of Expert Consultation.

ARK. R. CIV. P. 42. Consolidation; Separate Trials.

ARK. R. CIV. P. 49. Verdicts and Interrogatories.

ARK. R. CIV. P. 52. Findings by the Court.

Ark. R. App. P.-Civ. 8. Stay Pending Appeal.

 

You may send comments to the Clerk of Courts via mail to:

Attn: Clerk of the Courts

625 Marshall Street

Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

 

Or via email to Les Steen or Stephanie Harris.

 

Each attorney is encouraged to take this opportunity to participate.