Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson has filed a verified petition for a writ of mandamus against County Clerk Shawndra Taggart regarding her refusal to issue payment for his unpaid 2025 salary. The petition, filed electronically in the Jefferson County Circuit Court on Monday, seeks to compel Taggart to fulfill her statutory duty to issue a warrant for the approved claim.
According to court documents, Robinson filed a claim for payment on Sept. 10, 2025, with the Jefferson County Court, seeking $53,052 in unpaid salary for the year. The claim was approved by the County Court on Oct. 22, 2025, following a hearing. The County Court issued an order directing Taggart to make the payment, with a 30-day window for any appeals to be filed.
The appeal period expired on Nov. 21, without any valid appeals being filed. Although a notice of appeal and petition for review was submitted to the county clerk by Lloyd Franklin II on Nov. 21, the filing was deemed invalid as it was not submitted to the circuit clerk, as required by Arkansas law. Legal precedent establishes that untimely or improperly filed appeals are considered null and void.
In an email exchange dated Nov. 24, Taggart formally refused the request, arguing that issuing the payment would violate Senate Bill 182.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“Please be advised that, pursuant to SB182, issuing payment on your claim would constitute a violation of state law,” Taggart wrote to Robinson.
She acknowledged that Robinson likely views SB182 as unconstitutional regarding the reduction of his salary, but asserted that the “county court system is not the appropriate venue for constitutional challenges.” Taggart insisted Robinson must file a lawsuit in a court with proper jurisdiction before her office could take action that conflicts with state statutes.
On Nov. 25, Robinson’s attorney, Kenneth P. “Casey” Castleberry of the Castleberry Law Firm, issued a demand letter to Taggart, arguing that her refusal is legally groundless because the time for valid appeals has passed.
Castleberry dismissed Franklin’s appeal, calling it “fatally defective.”
“Mr. Franklin did not file his Notice of Appeal with the Circuit Clerk,” Castleberry wrote, citing Arkansas District Court Rule 9(e), which requires appeals to be filed with the clerk of the Circuit Court, not the county clerk. Because of this procedural error, Castleberry contends no valid appeal exists, making the Oct. 22 order final and binding.
Franklin, a former Jefferson County Quorum Court member, argued that the order constitutes an “illegal exaction,” a direct conflict of interest, and a failure to follow mandatory state financial-control procedures.
The petition filed by Franklin characterizes the event as a “Total Failure of Process,” arguing that the failure of any single mandatory step in Arkansas’ claims process voids the entire action, calling the subsequent order “fruit of the poisonous tree.”
“Lloyd Franklin is a citizen and does not stop the claim,” Robinson said. “If my claim is not paid, my attorney will file an immediate mandamus against the county clerk.”
Robinson’s petition asserts that Taggart has no legal authority to refuse payment and that her duty to issue the warrant is ministerial, not discretionary. Arkansas law, specifically Arkansas Code Ann. § 14-24-101(a), mandates that a county clerk must issue payment for claims approved by a county court.
Robinson’s petition further states that Taggart has provided no legal justification for her refusal to comply with the County Court’s order. The petition argues that Robinson has no adequate remedy at law other than seeking a writ of mandamus to compel Taggart to perform her statutory duty.
Robinson’s petition outlines the legal basis for the writ of mandamus, emphasizing that the county clerk’s refusal to issue payment violates Arkansas law and deprives him of a right conferred by a final judicial order. The petition cites multiple legal precedents, including Norman v. Swift and Smith v. State, which establish that appeals must be timely and properly filed to be valid.
The petition requests expedited consideration under Arkansas Code Ann. § 16-115-103 and asks the court to issue a writ of mandamus directing Taggart to immediately issue a warrant or check for $53,052.45.
The case is now pending before the Jefferson County Circuit Court, which will determine whether to grant the writ of mandamus and compel Taggart to issue the payment.