The text begins with a review of the year's major events and background information on the judges, on the organization of the judiciary, and on the route of appeal. Separate sections focus on the supreme courts, the court of appeals, the general jurisdiction courts, and the limited jurisdiction courts; data on workloads, cases, and court personnel are included. In summary, the supreme court decided 484 appeals and handed down 469 majority opinions (an average of 67 per justice). The new court of appeals, which began operation on July 1, 1979, disposed of 239 cases. A total of 86,428 cases were filed in the circuit, chancery, and probate courts; and 76,453 cases were terminated. In addition, 'Model Criminal Jury Instructions' and the 'Arkansas Criminal Benchbook for Trial Judges' were published. Photographs, tables, and charts are included.