The Arkansas Supreme Court dismissed Kristina Gulley’s appeal regarding her eligibility to run for Pulaski County Justice of the Peace. The court ruled that her appeal was moot because the primary election had already taken place. This decision affects Gulley, who had previously been disqualified from running for office due to past convictions.
The case stemmed from a dispute over Gulley’s eligibility to seek reelection after being elected to the position in 2020. The Pulaski County Circuit Court had previously ruled that Gulley could not run for office due to two hot-check convictions from 1997 and 2003. The court’s ruling meant that any votes cast for her in the March 3, 2026 primary election would not be counted.
Gulley’s legal troubles began when two voters filed a petition in 2022, claiming she was ineligible to run for reelection due to her past convictions. The Pulaski County Circuit Court agreed, declaring her ineligible and ordering the Board of Election Commissioners not to certify her as a candidate. Gulley did not appeal this initial ruling.
In subsequent legal actions, Gulley continued to challenge her disqualification, arguing that her convictions were nullified by a gubernatorial pardon and that her criminal record had been sealed. However, the courts upheld the initial ruling, stating that her past convictions were disqualifying under Arkansas law.
In January 2026, Gulley filed to run again, but the Board of Election Commissioners ruled her ineligible based on previous court decisions. Voter-appellees, concerned about her eligibility, filed a complaint seeking to prevent her from appearing on the ballot. The circuit court held a hearing and ultimately ruled against Gulley, reaffirming her ineligibility.
On February 25, 2026, Gulley filed a motion for relief from judgment, claiming the court had made errors and that she had not been given a fair opportunity to present her case. The circuit court denied her motion, stating that she had sufficient time to prepare and present her arguments.
Gulley then appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court, but the court ruled the appeal was moot because the primary election had already occurred. The court stated, "A case generally becomes moot when any judgment rendered would have no practical legal effect on a then-existing legal controversy." The court noted that Gulley did not request a stay of the circuit court’s order before the election, which further solidified the mootness of her appeal.
The court emphasized that discussing Gulley’s eligibility for future elections would be inappropriate, as the matter had already been ruled on multiple times. The ruling also reiterated that a hot-check conviction is considered an "infamous crime" under Arkansas law, which disqualifies individuals from holding public office.
This decision effectively ends Gulley’s attempts to regain eligibility for public office based on her past convictions. The ruling may set a precedent for future cases involving candidates with similar disqualifying offenses.
Moving forward, Gulley could potentially appeal this ruling, but the court’s dismissal of her appeal as moot complicates her legal options. There are currently no related cases pending that would address her eligibility in future elections.