Arkansas' highest court has appointed a former state appeals judge to review evidence in the lawsuit that aims to remove a proposed minimum wage increase from the November ballot.
The state Supreme Court on Thursday appointed John B. Robbins as a special master to hold hearings and review evidence regarding the lawsuit filed by Little Rock businessman Jackson T. Stephens Jr. He's challenging the validity of the signatures that were submitted for the proposal, which would gradually raise Arkansas' minimum wage from $6.25 an hour to $8.50 by 2017.
Robbins was given until noon Oct. 10 to file a report with the court. Justices also set an Oct. 13 deadline for briefs to be filed in the case and an Oct. 16 deadline for reply briefs.
