The Hon. Joe C. Short is a judge for the 8th North Judicial Circuit Court in Arkansas. He was elected to the bench in 2020.
The 8th North Judicial Circuit includes Hempstead County and Nevada County.
Prior to his election, Short was a partner at Wilson, Walker & Short. He spent forty-two years with the firm, supplementing his practice with service as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the Hempstead County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Lafayette County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. He also spent time as the City Attorney for the City of Lewisville and the City of Hope.
Short earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas in 1972. He then completed a J.D. at the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1975. He is admitted to practice in Arkansas (1975) and the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas (1976).
After graduating from law school, Short relocated to Hope, where he worked alongside Larry Patterson of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
A resident of Hope, Arkansas, Short and his wife, Sally, have two children. When not presiding over legal proceedings, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and watching Razorback sports.