What is a County Judge?

by Kristin Higgins - February 3, 2026

There are a lot of elected jobs on the ballot that people might not be as familiar with as they'd like to be. Today we highlight the job of a county judge.

County Judge in Arkansas

The role of a county judge is an administrative one in Arkansas. The county judge is the CEO of a county, an elected official responsible for the day-to-day business of running county government. 

The historic title can cause confusion for people who aren't familiar with this elected position because a county judge isn't hearing criminal court cases. In other states, the administrative role of County Judge is often called the County Administrator. 

Term in Office: A constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2016 changed the term of a county judge from two years to four years. The pay for the job varies depending on the population of the county, and is set by the Quorum Court.

State law sets the pay range for county judges based on the population of the county represented. According to the Association of Arkansas Counties, allowed pay ranged from $49,915 to $124,191 per year in smaller population counties to  per year in smaller population counties to $59,899 to $165,094 in larger population counties.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • At least 25 years old
  • Registered to vote in their county
  • No fraud or felony convictions

Job Duties:

Over their four-year term, a county judge is responsible for:

  • Maintaining and having custody of county property
  • Overseeing public roads and bridges outside city limits
  • Administering county ordinances 
  • Presiding over the Quorum Court, where the judge has veto power but not a vote
  • Authorizing county spending or paying of bills
  • Accepting grants from outside entities
  • Hiring county employees that don't work for another county official
  • Hearing property tax appeals (this is where that judge title comes in)
  • Meeting with local mayors at least once a year for intergovernmental meetings

In some counties, judges have assisted with burial costs for indigent people or have created community service programs.

Additional Reading

Association of Arkansas Counties - 2025 County Government Salary Survey

Office of County Judge - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Arkansas County Judges 2022 Procedures Manual - Association of Arkansas Counties

Sign Up for "Introduction to County Government in Arkansas" Course

Want to know more about how county government operates in Arkansas? Sign up at https://learn.uada.edu/ for a free account to register for our new County Government in Arkansas course to learn about the roles and responsibilities of county offices and how local government is funded.