Robin F. Wynne Explained

Robin Wynne
Office:Associate Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court
Term Start:January 1, 2015
Term End:June 21, 2023
Predecessor:Donald L. Corbin
Successor:J. Cody Hiland
Office1:Judge of the Arkansas Court of Appeals
from the 5th district
Term Start1:January 1, 2011
Term End1:December 31, 2014
Predecessor1:Michael Kinard
Successor1:Michael Kinard
Birth Name:Robin French Wynne
Birth Date:15 February 1953
Birth Place:Warren, Arkansas, U.S.
Death Place:Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Spouse:Margo Wynne
Children:4
Education:Harvard University (BA)
University of Arkansas (JD)
Southern Methodist University

Robin French Wynne (February 15, 1953 – June 21, 2023)[1] was an American judge. He served as a justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court from 2014 until his death. He had previously been a judge on the Arkansas Court of Appeals, District 5 from 2011 until being sworn into the Arkansas Supreme Court in 2015. Prior to serving on the Court of Appeals, he was the Dallas County District Judge between 2004 and 2010.

Education

Wynne received his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University in 1975 and his Juris Doctor[2] degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1978. He attended the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, from 1979 to 1980.[3]

Elections

2010

Wynne ran unopposed and was elected in 2010 to finish a term on the Arkansas Court of Appeals to fill the District 5 seat vacated by Michael Kinard.[4]

2012

Wynne ran unopposed and was re-elected to the District 5 seat on the Arkansas Court of Appeals.

2014

Wynne was elected to an eight-year term on the Arkansas Supreme Court, beating Maumelle, Arkansas attorney Tim Cullen. Wynne won the election by a 52% to 48% margin.[5] Wynne replaced retiring Justice Donald L. Corbin.

2022

Wynne ran for re-election to the Arkansas Supreme Court in the May General election. Wynne was the top vote getter in the three-way race against Chris Carnahan and David Sterling, garnering 49.5% of the vote. A Two-round system run-off election occurred on November 8, 2022, between Wynne and Carnahan, who garnered 28.8% of the general election vote. Wynne won the run-off election with 58.4% of the vote.[6] Wynne's second term on the Arkansas Supreme Court would have ended in 2030, but Wynne died in 2023 before serving it out.

Career

From 1985 to 1988 Wynne represented the 91st district of the Arkansas House of Representatives as a Democrat, comprising parts of Dallas, Cleveland, and Lincoln counties.[7] [8] From 1989 to 1998 Wynne was a deputy prosecuting attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial District of Arkansas, the jurisdiction including Dallas County. Beginning in 1989 Wynne also served as city attorney of Fordyce, Arkansas, the county seat of Dallas County. Wynne also served as the Dallas County, Arkansas, district judge from 2004 to 2010.

Death

Wynne died on June 21, 2023, at the age of 70.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Justice Robin French Wynne - Obituary & Service Details .
  2. Web site: Robin French Wynne Judge Profile on Martindale.com.
  3. Web site: Associate Justice Robin F. Wynne, Position 2 . Arkansas Judiciary . Administrative Office of the Courts . Little Rock, AR . 24 August 2018.
  4. Web site: Arkansas Judicial Elections, 2010.
  5. Web site: Arkansas Supreme Court elections, 2014.
  6. Web site: Arkansas Supreme Court elections, 2022.
  7. Book: Daniels, Charlie . 2008 . The Historical Report of the Secretary of State . Little Rock, AR . Arkansas Secretary of State's Office . 239, 241, 726 . 978-0-615-23214-0 . Charlie Daniels (politician) .
  8. Web site: McCuen . W. J. . 1984 . Arkansas Election Results 1984 . 11 May 2022 . Arkansas Secretary of State.
  9. News: Justice Robin Wynne has died . 22 June 2023 . TB&P . 22 June 2023.