The Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct, which oversees lawyer discipline, entered a consent order last week in the case of Asa Hutchinson III, the governor’s son, in a case arising from his 2016 arrest on a drug charge in Alabama.

He was charged with possession of drugs found when he attended a music festival. He pleaded guilty, received pre-trial diversion and the charge was ultimately dismissed after successful completion of the probationary period.

Advertisement

The guilty plea on the drug charge led to bar complaints in the states where Hutchinson is licensed to practice, first in Missouri. In Sept. 2018, Missouri settled its bar complaint with a suspension of his license, but the suspension was stayed for two years of probation, effective Dec. 18, 2018.

Hutchinson asked Arkansas to use a reciprocity rule on lawyer discipline and adopt the finding in Missouri. The Arkansas Committee agreed to that. This means that he remains licensed to practice law, but is under a probationary period that runs through Dec. 18.

Advertisement

Hutchinson has had several arrests for DWI, most recently in May 2019, with a variety of outcomes. According to Stark Ligon, executive director of the Arkansas Committee on Professional Conduct, it has been long-standing committee policy not to initiate bar discipline on DWIs unless they have reached a felony-level on a fourth conviction.

Here’s the committee’s consent order.

Advertisement

 

Be a Part of the Fight

Step up and make a difference by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, the progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock that's been fighting for truth for 50 years. Our tough, determined, and feisty journalism has earned us over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, all of whom value our commitment to holding the powerful accountable. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing or donating, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be supporting our efforts to hire more writers and expand our coverage. Join us in the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article It could be worse: You could live or work in an Arkansas prison Next article Existing ammo plant in Little Rock to expand, to add 57 jobs