Do judges in Arkansas have separate CLE requirements?

No — Arkansas’s CLE rules do not distinguish between part-time and full-time attorneys; all nonexempt attorneys must satisfy the same requirement.

Arkansas requires every attorney (unless exempt by age or years of service) to complete 12 hours of CLE annually, including at least one hour of ethics.

Details:

• Rule 3 of the Arkansas Rules for Minimum Continuing Education mandates 12 credit hours per year, with no reduced requirement for part-time practitioners.
• Exemptions exist for attorneys aged 70 or with 40 years of licensure, but those exemptions are not tied to workload or part-time status.
• All CLE hours must be approved by the Arkansas CLE Board.
• The reporting period ends June 30 each year.

Key Takeaway: Arkansas imposes uniform CLE obligations regardless of whether an attorney practices part-time or full-time.

Yes. Arkansas exempts attorneys from CLE if they are age 70 or have completed 40 years of Arkansas licensure. Active attorneys otherwise must complete 12 hours annually, including 1 hour of ethics.

Examples: an attorney who turns 70 is exempt from CLE going forward, and an attorney who reaches 40 years of licensure is exempt. The Arkansas Supreme Court’s Rules for Minimum Continuing Legal Education and the Bar’s CLE FAQ confirm these exemptions.

Key Takeaway: In Arkansas, attorneys are exempt from CLE once they reach age 70 or complete 40 years of licensure; all other active attorneys must comply with the state’s annual CLE requirement.

Exemptions in Arkansas

• Age 70: Attorneys or judges who reach 70 no longer need CLE.
• 40 Years of Licensure: Attorneys licensed for 40 years in Arkansas are exempt.
• Active Attorneys: All other active attorneys must complete 12 CLE hours each year, including 1 ethics credit.

The grace period for CLE reporting in Arkansas extends from June 30 to July 31 each year. This gives attorneys a one-month window to certify compliance after completing required credits.

Arkansas CLE Deadlines

• June 30: Deadline to complete all required CLE hours.
• July 31: Deadline to report or certify CLE completion.

What Happens After the Grace Period

• Failure to report by July 31 may trigger a deficiency notice.
• If not remedied in the time allowed, attorneys risk administrative penalties or suspension.

Key Takeaway: Arkansas gives attorneys until July 31 to report CLE earned by June 30 — missing that grace month can lead to compliance consequences.

You report CLE credits in Arkansas by submitting certificates or having your provider submit them to the Office of Professional Programs by July 31.
This deadline follows the compliance year that runs July 1 through June 30.

Overview of Arkansas CLE Reporting

Attorneys must complete 12 CLE hours annually, including 1 ethics hour, by June 30.
Excess credits (up to 12 including 1 ethics) may be carried forward.
The Office issues a final transcript each July; if deficient, attorneys must cure by December.

Steps to Report CLE in Arkansas

• Complete required credits by June 30.
• Retain certificates or program documentation.
• Verify that credits from Sprout Education appear on your transcript (we report attendance to the Arkansas Supreme Court within 30 days where permitted).
• If your transcript shows compliance in July, no further action is needed.
• If deficient, sign and return the deficiency notice by August 31, complete credits by December 1, and file proof by December 15.

Key Takeaway: In Arkansas, you must finish your hours by June 30 and ensure reporting by July 31. Sprout Education helps by reporting credits directly to the Bar, but attorneys remain responsible for confirming compliance.

Yes – Arkansas allows attorneys to carry over up to 12 CLE credits to the next reporting period, including up to 1 ethics credit.

This limit and the ethics carryover cap are established by the Arkansas Supreme Court’s Rules for Minimum Continuing Legal Education and the CLE Board’s Regulations.

• Amount permitted: up to 12 total credits may carry over to the immediately following reporting period.
• Ethics: within the 12, up to 1 ethics credit may carry over.
• Scope: carryover applies only to the next reporting period and does not continue beyond that single period.

Key Takeaway
Arkansas permits carryover of up to 12 credits – with no more than 1 ethics credit – to the next period only.

Yes – Arkansas allows attorneys to report CLE credits late through its official deficiency procedure, provided they follow all steps, complete the missing hours by the cure deadline, and pay the required deficiency fee.
This process helps attorneys who miss the annual completion or reporting deadline to regain compliance before year-end.

• Attorneys must complete 12 CLE hours annually, including 1 hour of ethics, by June 30.
• All CLE credits must be reported by July 31.
• If an attorney is deficient, the Arkansas Supreme Court Office of Professional Programs issues a Notice of Deficiency and an Acknowledgment of Deficiency form.
• The attorney must agree to complete the missing hours by December 1 and submit proof of compliance by December 15, along with a $75 deficiency fee.
• Any hours earned to cure the deficiency are first applied to the missing requirement; any additional hours may count toward the next reporting period.
• Attorneys serving in the National Guard or military reserves may request extensions if mobilized for six months or more.

Key Takeaway
Yes – Arkansas permits late CLE reporting through a deficiency procedure: attorneys must file the acknowledgment form, pay the $75 fee, and complete missing hours by December 1, with proof submitted by December 15.