Honorable Judge Rhonda K. Wood
Judge Rhonda Wood is one of five Circuit Judges for the 20th District, which covers Faulkner, Van Buren and Searcy Counties.
She is married to Dr. Michael Wood and they have 4 children.
She graduated from Hendrix, magna cum laude with a degree in Politics, awarded with distinction. She received her law degree from the UALR Bowen School of Law with highest honors and was named the Arkansas Law Graduate of the Year by the Arkansas Bar Association and received the Top Score on the Arkansas Bar Exam. She was Associate Editor to the UALR Law Review. She was a member of the Law Review, Moot Court, Christian Legal Society, Pro Bono Director, and Honor Council Prosecutor. She was the 1st law student to receive the Dean's Distinguished Certificate of Service for performing more than 300 hours of community service during her 3 years of law school. She received top papers in Federal Jurisdiction, Health Law, 1st Amendment, and Juvenile Law.
She opened a private practice in Conway Arkansas for 4 years, was an associate at Williams & Anderson, LLP, and then returned to the law school as a professor and the Assistant Dean, while continuing a law practice on the side. At the Bowen School of Law, she taught business law courses, health law courses, created the judicial and legislative externship programs, coached national moot court teams, advised student organizations, and oversaw admissions. The Black Law Students' Association and the Hispanic Law Students' Association presented Judge Wood with seperate awards for her commitment to promoting diversity.
She has served 6 years as delegate to the Arkansas Bar Association for Pulaski, Perry, Faulkner, Van Buren, and Searcy Counties. She served as Hearing Officer of the Conway Housing Authority. She has served 4 terms on the Executive Council for the Health Law Section of the Arkansas Bar and as their Legislative Liaison for two legislative sessions. The Arkansas Bar Association has awarded her with an Outstanding Service Award and Best Continuing Legal Education Presentation Award. She is a contributor to the Arkansas Bar Association Health Law Section's HIPPA Preemption Book and their Public Health Law Benchbook. She currently serves on the Board for the Conway Inter-faith Clinic and the Arkansas Judicial Council's Bi-Racial Education Committee and Long -term Planning Commitee.
Judge Wood is admitted and has practiced before: the Arkansas Court of Appeals, the Arkansas Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.
Judge Wood was appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee in 2006 and took the bench in January 2007. She was elected in May of 2008 to begin a 6 year term on January 1, 2009.