District Court Judge and Fort Smith native Sam Terry has announced his intent to seek election for Sebastian County Circuit Court, Division VII. The nonpartisan election is scheduled for March 3, 2020.
Terry has an extremely broad range of experience, having engaged in civil litigation representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He is a former deputy prosecuting attorney for Sebastian County, and served as law clerk to Chief U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes. Terry is currently Fort Smith District Court Judge, Division Two, having been appointed by Governor Asa Hutchinson to fill the vacancy in June 2019. The appointment precludes him from running for election in the same role.
He also served as a Trust Officer and Asst. Vice President at First National Bank of Fort Smith. In that position, he handled a wide range of complex legal and business issues, including financial planning and the administration of trusts and estates.
Judge Terry has a long history of leadership in the community including serving as Chairman of the Sebastian County Election Commission, President of the HOPE Humane Society, and President of the Children’s Emergency Shelter Foundation. He is past president of the Sebastian County Bar Association, which was recognized by the Arkansas Bar Foundation as an Outstanding Bar Association during his tenure. A graduate of Leadership Fort Smith, Terry now sits on the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Education Committee which oversees the program, and was involved in the implementation of the successful Junior Leadership Academy.
Judge Terry was previously appointed to serve as Special Associate Justice for the Supreme Court of Arkansas. He is a member of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s Forty under Forty Class of 2018 and a member of the Arkansas Bar Association since 2005, including serving as a member of the House of Delegates. He is also an active member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
“I am excited at this opportunity to continue serving the community I care so much for on the Circuit Court,” said Judge Terry. “This additional circuit position is crucial to Sebastian County’s continued growth and creating a more efficient judicial process for the region. My wide experience and temperament make me well suited for this role, and I will always strive to implement policies of respect, collegiality, fairness, and justice to all who come before the Sebastian County Circuit Court.”
