Arkansas officials are contesting a circuit court ruling that blocked Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders from unilaterally dismissing top Department of Corrections leaders. Attorney General Tim Griffin has filed notice of an appeal against Pulaski County Circuit Judge Patricia James’ decision to maintain a permanent injunction on two state laws central to the case.
The dispute dates back to 2022, when the Arkansas Legislature passed two laws granting the governor authority to fire corrections officials. In October 2025, Judge James ruled these laws violated Amendment 33 of the Arkansas Constitution, which protects the independence of the Board of Corrections. The board had initially opposed the legislation and filed suit, leading to the injunction.
The legal landscape shifted earlier this year when Governor Sanders appointed new members to the seven-member board, securing an appointee majority. In March, the reconfigured board approved a settlement that reversed its prior opposition to the laws. However, Judge James ruled the settlement conflicted with both the Arkansas Constitution and a prior ruling from the Arkansas Supreme Court that left her discretion over lifting the injunction. As a result, the judge declined to vacate her earlier ruling.
The governor's office, along with the corrections board, has also appealed additional rulings by Judge James. These include her decision allowing attorney Abtin Mehdizadegan to represent the board and participate in the lawsuit, as well as her order blocking payment to Mehdizadegan's law firm on grounds that the firm was hired unlawfully.
This legal standoff underscores an ongoing power struggle between Governor Sanders' administration and the Board of Corrections over leadership of the state's prison system. The issue first erupted in 2022 when the board, then under chair Benny Magness, suspended Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri, a Sanders appointee. Profiri argued that the new laws gave him authority to report directly to the governor, bypassing the board.
The Arkansas Supreme Court has twice reviewed elements of the case but declined to disqualify Mehdizadegan or overturn Judge James’ initial injunction. With the case now set to return to the appellate level, the governor and corrections board continue to seek resolution on issues of governance and oversight affecting the state’s corrections system.