Independence County District Judge Chaney Taylor (pictured) was named Specialty Court Judge of the Year at the recent Arkansas Drug Court Professionals Association (ADCPA) annual conference in Little Rock.
Taylor, who has presided over the state’s first sobriety court program since 2009, also began presiding over the lndependence County and Fulton/lzard County Adult Drug Court Programs in January 2022.
“I’m humbled to receive this award,” said Taylor. “ln all the years I’ve presided over specialty court programs, I’ve attempted to turn troubled lives around, get these folks into appropriate recovery, hold them accountable for their actions, and turn them into productive, law-abiding citizens, which is the basic idea behind specialty courts. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing someone put their addictive and often destructive behavior behind them permanently and become socially responsible.
“I also want to thank my staff, without whom the court couldn’t operate. My employees are incredible, and I am so appreciative of the extraordinary job they do every day. I am truly grateful for this honor and the trust the citizens of Independence County have placed in me, and I will always strive to be fair, professional, and honorable in how I conduct myself, both personally and in the courtroom.”
Taylor has previously served on numerous committees as a judge, including the District Judge Council Board of Directors, the ADCPA Board of Directors, the Arkansas State Committee on Court Security & Emergency Preparedness, and the Arkansas Specialty Court Program Advisory Committee.
Beginning in 2025, two other counties—Izard and Fulton—will be added to the district Taylor now covers. This district will then comprise three counties, Independence, Izard, and Fulton, designated as State District Court District 14.
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