Division 2 District Court Judge John L. Kearney is facing local lawyer Efrem Neely Sr. in the race for the judge’s position.
KEARNEY
Kearney is serving his fourth term. He is a graduate of AM&N College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) and began his professional career in the Dollarway School District teaching history and social studies.
He left that position to become an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but before joining that organization, he opted to enroll at the University of Arkansas School of Law where he graduated with the Juris Doctorate in 1974, according to a news release.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Kearney served as administrative aide to then-Arkansas Gov. David Pryor for two years and has taught as adjunct professor at UAPB and the University of Arkansas at Monticello for a combined 40 years.
He is a long-time member and elder of Faith Presbyterian Church in Pine Bluff. He is married to the former Janice Davis and they have five children.
NEELY
Neely has 16 years of legal experience. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Arkansas School of Law.
He served as special judge in Jefferson County Circuit Court and Pulaski County District Court, according to a news release.
Neely is a contract attorney with the Arkansas Public Defender’s Office, ad litem attorney for Administrative Office of the Court, Criminal Justice Act attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas Federal Court and of counsel with Wright, Jennings and Lindsey.
He is a former city attorney for Altheimer and former civil service commissioner for the Little Rock. He handles a multitude of criminal, domestic, civil, probate and personal injury cases and provides thousands of dollars in pro bono services to the Pine Bluff yearly.
(These candidates were not sent questions for the election section.)