The Sociology and Criminology Department hosted Appeals on Wheels, which featured the justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court and gave students a firsthand look at the state-level legal appellate process.

The event, held in the Riceland Hall of the Fowler Center Thursday, formed part of the larger Appeals on Wheels initiative, which takes place in only two U.S. states: Indiana and Arkansas. The Appeals on Wheels program brings the appellate process to various communities throughout the state, and Arkansas justices conduct hearings in venues throughout the state.

In Arkansas, Appeals on Wheels is held biannually, with justices traveling for these voyage hearings once in the spring and once in the fall. The educational project was established in Arkansas in 2002, and aims to bring awareness to students and local communities in the state about crucial judicial processes.

Sakshi Kaura, a senior economics major from Jackson, Mississippi, and business chair of the A-State Pre-Law Club, said understanding the multi-faceted angles of the criminal justice system is vital.

“Most people don’t think about the justice system as the justices or the people that are sitting on the Supreme Court,” Kaura said. “They think of the legislators, of the people who are creating these laws. I think of the mayor, right? I hope that (everyone here) learned something new about them.”

During the session, the Arkansas Supreme Court decided the correctness of a sentence imposed by the Craighead County Circuit Court. The decision, made by Circuit Court Judge Scott Ellington, sentenced defendant Pierre Wright to the highest possible conviction, life in prison, for the offense of aggravated robbery. 

Defendant Wright robbed the Jonesboro location of Plato’s Closet, while armed, and had multiple convictions of armed robbery out of the state of Tennessee at the time of the incident.

Currently, Arkansas ranks 48 out of 50 in crime and corrections, with the adjacent factors of public safety and corrections outcomes being among the lowest in the country, according to statistics published by U.S. News.

Students from various high schools in the Jonesboro area attended Appeals on Wheels. Joann Kim, a senior at Valley View High School and incoming freshman at Princeton University, said her roots are a big motivator for her to pursue a career in the judiciary.

“From a very young age, I’ve always wanted to be a judge. When I was little, I had no idea why. But, as I’ve grown up and I’ve gotten to experience a lot of things and public service initiatives, I was able to realize that I really enjoy being a voice and advocate for others,” Kim said. “I used to be really shy, I used to not be able to speak English, and I felt helpless in these situations. So, I want to be that advocate for those who can’t really speak.”

Associate Justice Rhonda Woods of the Arkansas Supreme Court said she hoped attendees took away a better understanding of the judicial court system’s function at the state level.

“Hopefully you found it interesting to see that we aren’t really, a lot of times, focusing on guilt or innocence. We’re trying to focus on whether due process was followed,” Woods said. “Was Arkansas law followed to make sure everybody sort of had their opportunity, their fair trial? Whether you’re guilty or sentenced, it’s worthy of concern.”

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