Chaney Taylor, a State District Judge, declares his intention to run for Circuit Judge, Division 1 of the 16th Judicial District. Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, and Stone are the five counties that make up the 16th Judicial District. Taylor has a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Between 1999 and 2004, Judge Taylor represented Independence, Stone, and Van Buren Counties in the Arkansas House of Representatives. After that, he was elected District Judge of Independence County in 2004 and has been in that position for more than 20 years, managing more than 50,000 cases.
He was born in Batesville and has served in the judiciary for 20 years. Among his numerous achievements is the launch of Arkansas’s first sobriety court program in 2009, which aims to remove habitual drunk drivers from the road, get them into treatment, find them productive employment, and ultimately increase public safety. More than 100 people have graduated, families have been reunited, and the initiative has lessened the strain on county resources and jail populations.
Judge Taylor was the recipient of the Arkansas Impaired Driving Prevention Task Force’s 2024 Force for Good Award. For a number of years, Judge Taylor has also served as the judge for the adult drug courts in Independence County and Izard/Fulton County.
Judge Taylor was named the 2024 Specialty Court Judge of the Year by the Arkansas Drug Court Professionals Association in recognition of his work assisting individuals in overcoming addiction and entering recovery. Judge Taylor was chosen as the Best Judge of Independence County by Batesville Guard readers in 2025.
Taylor received the Hands of Empowerment award from Family Violence Prevention and also hears cases involving orders of protection in Independence County. His dedication to creative court procedures, a level temperament, and superior judicial performance are all reflected in these honors.
After 28 years of marriage, Judge Taylor and his wife, Leah, have four kids together. They like fishing on the White River and hanging out on Greers Ferry Lake. For many years, he and his family have been involved members of Batesville’s First United Methodist Church. In addition to having lifetime Arkansas Game & Fish permits and boating certification, Taylor is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and the VFW Auxiliary.
“Serving as the District Judge in the community where I was born and raised has been the honor of my life,” Taylor stated. I’m prepared to apply my twenty years of expertise and thorough legal knowledge to the circuit court level. On March 3, 2026, I humbly ask for your vote.
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