A lawsuit filed by six Pine Bluff residents — including former justice of the peace candidate Garland Trice — against seven Jefferson County Justices of the Peace was dismissed in the 11th West Circuit Court by Special Judge Randy Wright.
The suit, filed on April 15, alleged malfeasance in office by the justices, accusing them of attempting to pass ordinances and authorize county disbursements without the required approval of Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson. The plaintiffs also claimed the justices had disbursed funds “in their favor” without Robinson’s consent.
Defendants named in the lawsuit included:
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Alfred Carroll Sr., who defeated Trice in the March 2024 primary
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Reginald Adams
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Reginald Johnson
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Margarette Williams
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Melanie Johnson Dumas
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Cedric Jackson
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Brenda Bishop Gaddy
In addition to Trice, plaintiffs included Pamela Barnes Earnest, Bruce Carmen, Victor Johnson, Glenda Daniels, and Eric Mitchell. The group sought to have the justices of the peace removed from office.
Judge Wright’s dismissal order was brief, consisting of only one paragraph and one sentence:
“On the Motion of Defendants, Alfred Carroll, Reginald Adams, Margarette Williams, Melanie Johnson Dumas, Brenda Bishop Gaddy, Reginald Johnson and Cedric Jackson, to Dismiss Petition filed herein, the Court doth find and order:
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That this matter is hereby dismissed.”
While Judge Robinson was not a named party in the lawsuit, his name featured prominently in the allegations. Many of the justices involved have clashed with Robinson over operating procedures and county governance for at least two years, contributing to a strained political environment within Jefferson County.
The dismissal marks the latest development in an ongoing power struggle between the Jefferson County Judge’s office and some members of the Quorum Court.
