In this episode of Ark Bar On Air: President’s Mic, Arkansas Bar Association President Jamie Jones Walsworth sits down with Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) Director Marty Sullivan and Court Information Systems Division Director Tim Holthoff for a behind-the-scenes look at the technology, innovation, and leadership shaping Arkansas’s judicial system.

The conversation explores the AOC’s role in supporting courts across Arkansas, from judicial education and court administration to statewide technology initiatives that improve access to justice. Sullivan and Holthoff discuss Arkansas’s nationally recognized court technology systems, the evolution of electronic filing and public court access, and the development of a next-generation case management platform designed to modernize court operations for judges, lawyers, court staff, and the public.

Listeners will also hear how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, may transform court administration, enhance efficiency, and improve public access to information while maintaining security and trust in the judicial system. The episode also highlights the Arkansas Judiciary’s new Civics Education Center, an innovative space dedicated to teaching students and citizens about government, the rule of law, and the courts’ role in a democratic society.

Whether you are a practicing attorney, law student, judge, or simply interested in the future of Arkansas courts, this episode offers valuable insight into the people and technology working behind the scenes to keep justice moving forward.

Guests:

• Marty Sullivan, Director, Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts
• Tim Holthoff, Director, Court Information Systems Division, Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts

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In Part II of the Arkansas Bar Association’s discussion of The Anxious Generation, host Jamie Huffman Jones and guests Jennifer Donaldson (Arkansas JLAP), Meredith Lowry (Wright, Lindsey & Jennings), and Duke Law Professor Casey Mock examine the second half of Jonathan Haidt’s bestselling book and its implications for lawyers, parents, educators, policymakers, and communities.

The conversation explores Haidt’s concept of the “great rewiring of childhood,” including the effects of smartphones, social media, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and platform design on young people’s mental health. The panel discusses how technology companies collect and use data, the growing concerns surrounding AI, online privacy, addictive design features, and emerging litigation involving social media platforms.

The episode also focuses on solutions. Topics include phone-free schools, delayed access to social media, restoring independent play and real-world experiences for children, age verification laws, privacy protections, and the role of lawyers in shaping public policy as technology continues to outpace existing legal frameworks.

Whether you are a lawyer, parent, educator, or community leader, this episode offers practical insights and thought-provoking discussion on one of the most important issues facing the next generation.

Guests:

• Jennifer Donaldson, Arkansas Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP)
• Meredith Lowry, Wright, Lindsey & Jennings
• Casey Mock, Duke Law School and Public Policy Advisor for The Anxious Generation

Learn more at the Arkansas Bar Association Annual Meeting, where Casey Mock will join the main stage discussion on June 11 at Oaklawn.

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This episode will focus on defining CliftonStrengths and the benefits of getting people excited about it for the Arkansas Annual Meeting.

Description: Discover what CliftonStrengths is, why it matters, and how it can immediately improve the way you lead, collaborate, and communicate. In this episode, we break down the basics, how Strengths are defined, what a “Strengths-based” approach really looks like in practice, and why teams that lean into natural talent tend to perform better and burn out less.

Whether you’ve already taken the assessment or you’re brand new to it, you’ll walk away with practical ways to recognize your own strengths, better understand others, and apply the results in your day-to-day work. Tune in ahead of the Arkansas Annual Meeting to get a quick, energizing primer, and a few simple takeaways you can start using right away.

Also, be sure to check out The CliftonStrengths podcast: here

Guest Speakers

• Nicole Benjamin — President, Rhode Island Bar Association
• Abby Burnep — COO and Former Director of Training
• Traci Adedeji — CliftonStrengths Coach
• Judge Shawn Johnson — Arkansas Judge and Arkansas Bar Annual Meeting Planner

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In this episode of ArkBar OnAir: President’s Mic, Arkansas Bar Association President Jamie Jones Walsworth leads a timely and thought-provoking discussion of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt.

Focusing on the first half of the book, the conversation explores Haidt’s central argument that around 2010, childhood fundamentally shifted, from a play-based experience to a phone-based one. Panelists examine the corresponding rise in anxiety, depression, and self-harm among teenagers, and consider what this shift means for families, professionals, and society as a whole.

Bringing together perspectives from law, mental health, communications, and lived experience, the discussion balances research with real-world insight, particularly through the voices of parents and a member of the generation most impacted. Together, the group reflects on how technology is shaping childhood, the challenges it presents, and the role adults play in navigating this evolving landscape.

This episode sets the stage for a continued conversation, with Part 2 focusing on the remainder of the book and deeper implications for the future.

Featured Guest:

Natalie Ghidotti – Founder & CEO, Ghidotti Communications

Jennifer Donaldson – Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Arkansas Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP)

Arden “AJ” Jones – Student, representing the Gen Z/teen perspective

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In this opening session of our book club podcast, Bill Waddell leads a thoughtful discussion of The Devil in the Grove, focusing on the book’s historical foundations and its continued relevance today. As the group begins with Chapters 1–6, the conversation explores key themes raised in the book, including the role of lawyers in moments of racial injustice, the moral demands of advocacy, and the social context in which civil rights struggles unfold. The discussion also considers how the book (written before the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement) reads differently in light of more recent developments, including renewed debate and resistance around civil rights. Drawing on historical parallels, literary context, and personal reflection, this episode sets the stage for a deeper, multi-session conversation about why these stories still matter and what they ask of lawyers and citizens today.

Guest Name: William “Bill” Waddell; Judge Joyce Williams Warren; Abby Brenneman; and Jonathan Warren

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