Rule 6-1 - Extraordinary Writs, Expedited Consideration, and Temporary Relief(a)Extraordinary writs(1) Proceedings for an extraordinary writ such as prohibition, mandamus, and certiorari are commenced by filing a petition in the Supreme Court. These writs are not available if appeal is an adequate remedy. A party seeking appellate review of a circuit court's decision on a request for an extraordinary writ must file a notice of appeal in the circuit court, not a petition for the writ in the Supreme Court. When a party petitions the Supreme Court for an extraordinary writ, the certified pleadings, orders, and exhibits from the circuit court, if applicable, are treated as the record.(2) The petitioner is required to file with the Clerk the petition along with the certified record. The petitioner shall not identify the circuit court or judge as a respondent to the petition. Instead, the petitioner should identify as respondents all the other parties to the circuit court action. Evidence of service of a copy of the petition and record upon the respondents or their counsel of record in the circuit court is required. The petitioner must also provide a copy of the petition to the circuit judge to alert the judge of the filing of the petition. The Clerk may refuse to accept for filing any petition that does not comply with the requirements of these rules. (3) Unless modified by the Court, a response to a petition for extraordinary relief may be filed within 10 calendar days from the date of the filing of the petition for extraordinary relief. Circuit judges and other non-parties shall not be permitted to file any response except upon order of the Supreme Court requesting a response.(b)Emergency or accelerated proceedings. In situations where time limitations do not allow a proper response time of ten days, upon the filing of the pleading, the pleader shall inform the Clerk's office of the need for an emergency or accelerated hearing by the Court. Upon notification, the Court will determine the date of the response and date of consideration of the pleading. If the pleader desires oral argument, such argument will be addressed to the Court at the regularly called sessions at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday (in the Supreme Court) or Wednesday (in the Court of Appeals) morning; otherwise, oral argument will not be entertained. The pleading must be properly filed and the party or attorney of record notified before oral argument will be heard.(c)Applications for temporary relief. When the petitioner intends to apply to the full Court for temporary relief staying the circuit court proceedings pending the consideration of the petition upon its merits, reasonable notice of the application for temporary relief must be served upon the other party or the counsel of record in the circuit court and the circuit court. If, after its review and consideration of the record and pleading filed, the Court shall determine that a temporary stay is warranted and granted, briefs shall be required as in other cases under Rule 4-4, and the parties' brief time will be calculated from the date the temporary relief is granted. However, the Court may decide the matter without ruling on the request for a briefing schedule.(d)Response. A response to an application for temporary relief in subsection (c) may be filed within 10 calendar days unless modified by the Court. Additional time for filing a response must be requested within the 10-day period.(e)Page limitation. Absent leave of court for good cause shown, no petition or response shall exceed fifteen pages excluding any addendum.(f)Time for filing briefs. If the proceedings in the circuit court have been stayed, or the time before a hearing or trial will allow a briefing schedule, briefs are required as in other cases, the parties' brief time under Rule 4-4 for filing a brief to be calculated from the date on which the petition is filed. The mere filing of a petition for relief under this section does not automatically entitle the petitioner to file briefs and stay the proceedings in the circuit court.Ark. R. Sup. Ct. & Ct. App. 6-1
Subsection (b) amended June 30, 1997, effective 9/1/1997; subsections (a), (c), and (e) amended June 7, 2001, effective 7/1/2001; amended October 9, 2008, effective 1/1/2009; amended June 17, 2010, effective 7/1/2010; amended and effective 6/21/2018; amended June 6, 2019, effective 9/1/2019.