73CV-26-287 · White County Circuit Court
Lynch v. White County et al.
The related Arkansas state-court action. It ran parallel to the federal §1983 dockets, was closed in circuit court, and is now on appeal — the appellate record matters to counsel evaluating the federal cases.
Case posture
- Circuit Court of White County, Arkansas (White Circuit)
- February 23, 2026 — complaint in forma pauperis
- Civil — other
- Case closed June 5, 2026; appeal pending
- Hon. Robert Bynum Gibson Jr. (after three recusals and one appointment terminated)
What counsel is asked to evaluate
- Whether the dismissal for failure to appear can be undone given the transport and appearance requests
- Coordination between the state appeal and the three federal §1983 dockets
- Issue- and claim-preclusion strategy across the state and federal records
- Preservation of the preservation-of-evidence motion and its relationship to federal discovery
How it unfolded
- Three successive recusal orders in the first week (Judge Pate, Judge Brock, Judge Hannah), followed by appointment of Hon. Ben Story, his termination two weeks later, and final assignment to Hon. Robert Bynum Gibson Jr.
- IFP granted April 1, 2026. The same day, Plaintiff filed a motion to compel preservation of all evidence, judicial recusal and disqualification memoranda, a change-of-venue memorandum, and a full medical-legal record package.
- Trial was set by scheduling order of April 7, 2026, with an order for inmate delivery. Plaintiff was incarcerated and sought transport or remote appearance.
- The case was closed June 5, 2026. Plaintiff had already filed a notice of appeal (April 17) with emergency stay and mandamus petitions, a second notice of appeal (May 5), and post-judgment briefing including an amended and substitute appellant's brief (June 18).
- Formal Supreme Court orders entered June 9 and July 21, 2026. A Rule 60 motion for indicative ruling remains part of the appellate record.