Pulaski County Circuit Judge Cathleen Compton ruled Missy Wardlaw’s name will stay on the ballot and her votes will be counted. The action to remove her from the ballot was denied.
Her opponent John Kyle Day filed the suit against her on December 23rd 2025.
Posted below is an excerpt of the judge note:
Filing Date
01/13/2026 @ 8:44AM
Description
JUDGE NOTE
Docket Detail
MOTION TO DISMISS BY MS. WARDLAW – MR. LANDON SANDERS ON BEHALF OF MS. WARDLAW. IN VIOLATION OF 78(d) – CITES JENKINS V. BOGARD, 335 ARK,334,340 (1998). MOTION TO DISMISS IS DENIED. JT EX A = CERTIFIED COPY OF DISTRICT COURT; JT EX B = COPY OF WARRANT OF ARREST; JT EXHIBITS C AND D ARE CERTIFED COPIES OF CLARK COUNTY DISTRICT COURT; JT EX E = RECEIPT FROM CLARK COUNTY’S SHERIFF DEPT. ADMITTED BY STIPULATION. W SWORN, PENNY ROSS, CHIEF CLERK CLARK COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. SHE IS FAMILIAR WITH RECORDS OF CLARK COUNTY DISTRICT COURT; SHE IS THE CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS. TRAFFIC, MISDEMEANORS TO INCLUDE HOT CHECKS. MS. WARDLAW WAS THEN LAURA BYRD. SHOWS CERTIFIED COPY OF COURT DOCKET OF THE CLARK COUNTY DISTRICT COURT. HOT CHECK CHARGE. 5-37-302….NO PLEA WAS ENTERED. DISPOSITION: GUILTY BY BOND FORFEITURE = SHE NEVER CAME TO COURT. LIKE A SPEEDING TICKET – PAY A FINE AND DON’T HAVE TO COME TO COURT. SHE MET W/P ATTY YESTERDAY. BOND WAS FORFEITED. IT DOESN’T MEAN MISSED A COURT DATE. EVERY CHARGE HAS AN AMOUNT, E.G. SPEEDING TICKET. DISPOSITION G, BOND FORFEITURE. W ID’S C AND D AS RECEIPTS FOR RESTITUTION AND FOR CHARGES RELATED TO CRIME TOTAL $295.00. PETITIONER’S EX A = DOCKET ISSUES FROM CLARK COUNTY ADMITTED OVER D’S OBJECTION. WARRANT OF ARREST GIVEN TO HER OFFICE BY THE PROSECUTING ATTY. SHOWS THAT MS. WARDLAW RECEIVED NOTICE OF CHARGE/COURT DATE. HER FINES WERE PAID BY A CHECK ON THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE ACCOUNT. SHE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED A RECEIPT FROM THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE. WHAT HER OFFICE GENERATES GOES TO THE ACIC. – X – BY LANDON SANDERS FOR MS. WARDLAW. IF SOMEBODY PLEADS NG @ P&A. IT DOESN’T GO DIRECTLY TO TRIAL THAT DATE. IT GETS SET FOR A FUTURE DATE. ON P&A, NO EVIDENCE IS PRESENTED. FIRST APPEARANCE IS TYPICALLY FOR INCARCERATED PEOPLE. THE BOND IS THE FINE. JT EX A – COURT DATES. D DID NOT APPEAR IN COURT AND NO EVIDENCE WAS PRESENTED IN COURT. P&A HAPPENS IN HER COURT EVERY WEDNESDAY. IF SOMEBODY HAS PAID, THE JUDGE SAYS “BOND FORFEITURE” AND THAT’S THE END OF THAT. THERE’S NO DISCREPANCY BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 26 AND 27TH OTHER THAN THAT COURT WAS ON THE 26TH AND THE DOCKET ENTRY WAS MADE ON THE 27TH. -REDIRECT – MR. SWATLEY – W SWORN, LAURA WARDLAW – SHE GOES BY MISSY. DOB: 5-16-83. PETITIONER RESTS. W SWORN, MICHELLE HAUGE – OFFICE MGR CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR 8 YEARS; BEFORE THAT AT THE P.D. SHE STARTED IN THIS ROLE IN JANUARY OF 2018. NO BIG CHANGES IN THE WAY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ACCEPTED PAYMENT OF BOND IN CASES. DS COULD COME IN TO PAY; PAY ONLINE. IN 2018, SHE WAS THE CASHIER. WHEN A BOND IS PAID, SHE WOULD WRITE A RECEIPT AND DEPOSIT THE BOND AMOUNT IN SHERIFF’S OFFICE ACCOUNT. CLARK COUNTY BONDS AND FINES ACCOUNT. FUNDS ARE TRANSMITTED TO THE COURT. SHE KEEPS A RECORD OF THE RECEIPTS IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS. LAURA BYRD (WARDLAW) CAME IN ON 9/26/2018 AND PAID HER BOND. -X- MR. SWATLEY – RECEIPT SAYS “BONDS AND FINES”. IT’S HER INITIALS ON THE RECEIPT. -REDIRECT – SHE IS CERTAIN THAT RECEIPT WAS RECEIVED PRIOR TO ANY COURT DATE OF MS. WARDLAW’S. W SWORN, SHERIFF JASON WATSON – OF CLARK COUNTY. HE HAS STAFF TO DEAL WITH FINES, ETC. BOND IS TO ASSURE AN APPEARANCE FOR COURT. THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN A BOND AND A FINE. BONDS ARE ISSUED PRIOR TO ANY COURT APPEARANCE. HE IS AWARE OF THE TERM “BOND FORFEITURE”. WARDLAW’S BOND WAS PAID PRIOR TO COURT DATE. HIS OFFICE SERVES WARRANTS FOR DISTRICT OR CIRCUIT COURT. CUSTODY VS. SERVICE OF WARRANTS: WHEN SERVED BY HIS OFFICE, THE PERSON WHO RECEIVED SERVICE GETS A COPY. THEY GIVE NO LEGAL ADVICE. DOES NOT ACCEPT PLEAS. -X- IF SOMEBODY MISSES COURT, AN FTA IS ISSUED BY THE COURT. HIS OFFICE COULD GIVE A NEW COURT DATE THROUGH THE CLERK’S OFFICE OR TAKE THE PERSON INTO CUSTODY. BONDS AND FINES – HE WAITS ON THE COURT TO TELL HIM WHETHER BOND OR FINE. THE COURT MAKES THAT DECISION. -REDIRECT – WHEN HIS OFFICE GIVES NO LEGAL ADVICE; CANNOT DETERMINE WHETHER BOND OR FINE. W SWORN, COY HASLEY – HE WORKS FOR OUACHITA RIVER CORRECTION CENTER FOR 7 YEARS. HE’S BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN ARKADELPHIA. HE WAS THERE FROM 2004 TO LATE 2018. HE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCEDURES OF THE ARKADELPHIA PD AT THAT TME FOR HANDLING WARRANTS. HE BECAME INVOLVED WITH A WARRANT ON LAURA BYRD (WARDLAW). HE CALLED HER; SHE THOUGHT HE WAS MESSING WITH HER. WHEN SHE REALIZED HE WAS NOT KIDDING, SHE CAME IN AND PAID THE BOND. HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN HER A COPY OF ITS WARRANT (DIFFERENT FROM THE COUNTY’S). HE DOESN’T RECALL WHETHER HE GAVE HER A COPY OF HIS WARRANT. SHE WOULDN’T HAVE HAD A COURT DATE AT THAT TIME. A COUPLE OF DAYS OUT OF THE MONTH ARE DESIGNATED FOR COURT DATES. HE INSTRUCTED D WHERE TO GO PAY HER BOND – CLARK COUNTY’S SHERIFF OFFICE – AND SHE WENT AND TOOK CARE OF IT. SHE DID IT THAT DAY RIGHT AFTER HE TOLD HER. COOPERATIVE. AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE HE HAS NO WAY TO HOLD A TRIAL OR ACCEPT A GUILTY PLEA OR TO IMPOSE FINES. -X- SWATLEY – HE KNOWS MS. WARDLAW. THEIR DAUGHTERS WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER. 18 YEARS. HE CONSIDERS HER A FRIEND. LAWYER REACHED OUT TO HIM ABOUT TODAY’S DATE. HE AND MS. WARDLAW HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS CASE – WENT OVER THE DAY OF HIS CALL TO HER. HE DID NOT ARREST HER – JUST TOLD HER TO TAKE CARE OF IT. SHE DID (SHE TOLD HIM). SHERIFF IS RECALLED OVER P OBJECTION. W SWORN, LAURA WARDLAW – SHE’S RUNNING FOR STATE REP; SHE LIVES IN BRADLEY COUNTY. SHE LEARNED ABOUT THE WARRANT FROM COY. SHE THOUGHT HE WAS TEASING; HE SAID HE WAS NOT. HE TOLD HER TO GO TAKE CARE OF IT AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE. SHE DID. SHE GOT A CASHIER’S CHECK AND TOOK IT TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THEN CALLED COY TO LET HIM KNOW SHE HAD TAKEN CARE OF IT. SHE DID NOT APPEAR IN COURT/RECEIVE ANYTHING TELLING HER TO BE IN COURT ON A DATE CERTAIN. SHE GOT NO NOTICES FROM THE COURT AT ALL WHATSOEVER. HER UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT SHE WAS PAYING A BOND IN LIEU OF GOING TO COURT. SHE NEVER APPEARED BEFORE ANY JUDGE. SHE DID NOT PLEA. SHE PAID THE BOND. SHE WAS NOT ADVISED OF ANY RIGHTS BY THE JUDGE OR ANYBODY ELSE. SHE DID NOT INTENTIONLLY MISS COURT – THERE WAS NO COURT. SHE HAD NO IDEA OF ANY COURT CASE TIL THIS YEAR. 7 YEARS W/O A WORD. SHE WANTS HER NAME TO REMAIN ON THE BALLOT. -X- DISPOSITION WAS G/BOND FORFEITURE. W SWORN, RHONDA HARRIS, ACIC, SR MGR OF CRIMINAL HISTORY DIVISION FOR 22-23 YEARS. SHE DEALS WITH ALL CRIMINAL HISTORY IN ARKANSAS. SHE RECEIVES INFO FROM FBI, JUDGES’ OFFICES, POLICE DEPT, STATE POLICE. THEY HAVE A FORM THAT HAS TO BE NOTARIZED. REQUESTOR CAN COME PICK UP, OR IN SOME CASES, ACIC WILL EMAIL IT TO HER. A SEARCH ON LAURA WARDLAW YIELDED NO RESULTS. -X- CROSS – SHE SEARCHED LAURA WARDLAW, NO OTHER NAMES. ACIC GETS ITS INFORMATION FROM WHATEVER COURT. ACIC ENTRY DOESN’T CONTRAVENE WHAT THE COURT SAYS. -REDIRECT – FORM FOR REVIEW OF CRIMINAL HISTORY. FAX NUMBER IS IDENTIFIED BY THE WITNESS. MR. SANDERS SHOWS HER A DOCUMENT THAT LISTS PRIOR NAMES USED BY THE SAME PERSON. BYRD AND SHAW ARE ALSO USED. IF THE PERSON HAS A CRIMINAL HISTORY, IT SHOULD BE TIED TOGETHER – DOESN’T ALWAYS HAPPEN, BUT IT SHOULD. – RECROSS – OTHER NAMES NOT KNOWN TO HER -REDIRECT – ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN THE REQUEST FORM. SUZY CLARY MIGHT HAVE SENT AN EMAIL. D RESTS. BOTH PARTIES HAVING RESTED, COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS. 1) MR. SWATLEY: INFAMOUS CRIME INCLUDES HOT CHECK CONVICTION. FINES WERE ASSESSED, SO THERE WAS A CONVICTION. MS. WARDLAW CHOSE NOT TO CONTEST THE CASE. DOCKET SAYS GUILTY. HER CASE WAS NOT DISMISSED; SHE WAS NOT EXONERATED. 2) MR. SANDERS – ARTICLE 9, SECTION 5 REQUIRES A CONVICTION. THERE WAS NONE HERE. IN THE WYATT CASE, THERE WAS A PLEA OF GUILTY. BOND FORF IS NOT A CONVICTION. RULE 9.2 OF RULES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE DISTINGUISHES FINE FROM BOND FORFEITURE. CASE WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY DISMISSED. ARCRP. PLEA COLLOQUEY. ASKS THE COURT TO APPLY THE CONSTITUTION. W/O CONVICTION. 1) MR. SWATLEY RESPONDS. PETITIONER’S REQUESTS ARE DENIED. HER NAME WILL REMAIN ON THE BALLOTS IN ALL THREE COUNTIES AND VOTES ARE TO BE COUNTED AND CERTIFIED. BOND FOR IS NOT AN ADMISSION OF GUILT.
