Karen R. Baker at a glance
- Current role
- Chief Justice
- Jurisdiction
- Arkansas · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Karen R. Baker
Chief Justice · Supreme Court of Arkansas
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Supreme Court of Arkansas, 2010-present
- In 2024, she ran for Chief Justice against Justice Rhonda K. Wood and won the general runoff election on November 5, 2024, officially assuming office on January 1, 2025
- Appointed as an associate judge on the Arkansas Court of Appeals from 2001 to 2010
- Her judicial career started in 1995 as a 20th Judicial District Circuit/Chancery/Juvenile Judge, followed by service as a Circuit/Chancery Judge from 1997 to 2000
- Baker made history as the first female Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court
Education
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law School in, where she was a member of the Law Journal and held the role — J.D. (1987)
- Undergraduate degree from Arkansas Tech University in 1983
Additional information
- She was re-elected in 2014 after running unopposed.
- In 2010, Baker was elected to the Arkansas Supreme Court and sworn in on January 10, 2011.
- legis, 2009-2009
- She then held the role of a public defender for Van Buren and Searcy counties from 1989 to 1995.
- Began her legal career in private practice from 1987 to 1995.
- Karen Renee Baker was born in 1963 and grew up in Clinton, Arkansas.
- Date of birth: 1961-01-01
- Baker has participated in significant rulings on the Arkansas Supreme Court, including cases involving election law and state constitutional amendments.
- Arkansas judicial elections are nonpartisan, and Baker’s decisions are guided by legal interpretation rather than political affiliation.
- Clinton High School
- She has occasionally dissented in high-profile cases, reflecting her independent judicial perspective.
- She chose to take her oath of office in her hometown of Clinton, emphasizing her connection to the community and the significance of this milestone for women in law.
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 August 22, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Arkansas Judiciary official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 22, 2026
View Arkansas Judiciary official judicial roster ↗CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View CourtListener judicial biographical directory ↗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 ↗