Ronnie Tucker v. State of Arkansas - Drug Court Termination Appeal
Summary
The Arkansas Court of Appeals affirmed the termination of Ronnie Tucker's participation in the Saline County Drug Court program. Tucker appealed the decision, arguing improper revocation and the judge's failure to recuse. The court found no error in the termination.
What changed
The Arkansas Court of Appeals, in the case of Ronnie Tucker v. State of Arkansas, affirmed the lower court's decision to terminate Tucker's participation in the Saline County Drug Court program. Tucker was initially charged with drug possession and failure to appear, pleading guilty and receiving a deferred judgment pending successful completion of the drug court. The appeal centered on claims of revocation based on an unwritten condition, violating due process, and the judge's alleged failure to recuse. The court referenced a companion case for detailed reasoning, finding no error in the termination.
This ruling means that Ronnie Tucker's deferred judgment is likely to be converted to a sentence, and he will face the consequences of not successfully completing the drug court program. For legal professionals and criminal defendants involved in drug court programs, this case underscores the importance of adhering to all conditions, both written and implied, and highlights the appellate court's deference to trial court decisions in such matters unless clear error is demonstrated. The affirmation suggests that due process was likely satisfied in the revocation proceedings.
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Feb. 25, 2026 Get Citation Alerts Download PDF Add Note
Ronnie Tucker v. State of Arkansas
Court of Appeals of Arkansas
- Citations: 2026 Ark. App. 131
Docket Number: Unknown
Combined Opinion
Cite as 2026 Ark. App. 131
ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS
DIVISION IV
No. CR-25-413
RONNIE TUCKER Opinion Delivered February 25, 2026
APPELLANT
APPEAL FROM THE SALINE
COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
V. [NO. 63CR-24-649]
STATE OF ARKANSAS HONORABLE KEN CASADY, JUDGE
APPELLEE
AFFIRMED
CINDY GRACE THYER, Judge
This is a companion case to Tucker v. State, 2026 Ark. App. 130, ___ S.W.3d ___,
also handed down today. Ronnie Tucker appeals from the termination of his participation
in the Saline County Drug Court program. He argues, as he does in the companion case,
that he was improperly “revoked” on the basis of an unwritten condition in violation of his
due-process rights; in addition, he asserts that the circuit judge should have recused himself
from the proceedings against him. We find no error and affirm.
Tucker was charged in case number 63CR-24-649 as a habitual offender with
possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled
substance (marijuana), and failure to appear. In the companion case, case number 63CR-24-
563, he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug
paraphernalia, and failure to appear. On February 6, 2025, Tucker pled guilty in both cases
to two counts of Class D felony possession of a controlled substance, one count of possession
of drug paraphernalia, two counts of failure to appear, and one Class A misdemeanor count
of possession of a controlled substance. Tucker was sentenced to 120 months in the Arkansas
Division of Correction; however, the entry of judgment was deferred pending Tucker’s
successful completion of the circuit court’s drug-court program.
The State filed a petition to terminate Tucker’s drug-court participation and to
impose sentence in both this case and the companion case based on the same allegations.
The ensuing hearing was held on both cases, and we detailed the pertinent evidence
presented in the companion opinion. Because the facts, the issues on appeal, and the
arguments are exactly the same in both cases, we find it unnecessary to restate them here.
For the reasons set forth in the companion case, we affirm the termination of Tucker’s
participation in the Saline County drug-court program.
Affirmed.
ABRAMSON and BROWN, JJ., agree.
Bowers Law, PLLC, by: Benjamin C. Bowers, for appellant.
Tim Griffin, Att’y Gen., by: Brooke Jackson Gasaway, Ass’t Att’y Gen., for appellee.
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