Joe Short at a glance
- Current role
- Circuit Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Arkansas · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Joe Short
Circuit Judge · Eighth North Judicial Circuit
Biography
Professional career
- Joe C. Short is a judge of the 8th North Judicial Circuit Court in Arkansas, serving Hempstead and Nevada counties since 2020, with a 42‐year legal career in private practice, public service, and prosecution
- Partner at Wilson, Walker & Short for 42 years
- Judge, Division 1, 8th North Judicial Circuit Court, Arkansas
- Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Hempstead County and Lafayette County
- In his own words, Short described the shift from advocating for clients to “calling the balls and strikes” in cases, balancing prosecution and defense experience to deliver justice
Education
- University of Arkansas School of Law — J.D. (1975)
- in Business Administration, University of Arkansas — B.S. (1972)
- He enjoys hunting, fishing, and watching University of Arkansas “Razorback” sports
Additional information
- Elected: 2020; sworn in January 1, 2021
- Admitted to the Arkansas Bar (1975) and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas (1976)
- City Attorney for the City of Lewisville and the City of Hope
- He began his legal career in Hope, Arkansas, working with then‐State Representative Larry Patterson
- Short resides in Hope, AR, with his wife Sally and two children
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Remote appearances
Statewide
Arkansas Judiciary publishes electronic-hearing Zoom resources and court-user guides for remote proceedings.
Zoom Guides for Court UsersArkansas Judiciary: Electronic Hearings With Zoom ↗
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
Arkansas Judiciary publishes state-district-court digital audio recording guidance as an official court resource.
AOC Provisional Guidelines for Digital Audio Recording in State District CourtsArkansas Judiciary: District Courts ↗
Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
Arkansas Judiciary official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Arkansas Judiciary official judicial roster ↗Arkansas Judiciary: Electronic Hearings With Zoom
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Arkansas Judiciary: Electronic Hearings With Zoom ↗Arkansas Judiciary: District Courts
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Arkansas Judiciary: District Courts ↗