Rule 12 - Substitution of Parties(a)Death of party. (1) If a party dies before the record has been filed in the appellate court or the appellate court has otherwise acquired jurisdiction of the case, substitution of parties is governed by Rule 25 of the Rules of Civil Procedure.(2) If a party dies after the appellate court acquires jurisdiction of the case, the decedent's personal representative may be substituted as a party on motion filed with the Clerk of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals by the personal representative, by any party, or by the attorney for the deceased party. The motion of a party or of the attorney for the deceased party must be served on the representative. If there is no personal representative of the deceased party, any party or the attorney for the deceased party may suggest the death on the record, and, unless within 90 days after the death is suggested on the record a motion is filed to substitute the deceased party's heirs, devisees, personal representative, or special administrator, the court may take appropriate action, including dismissal of the appeal as to the deceased party.(b)Transfer of interest. If an interest of a party is transferred, the action may be continued by or against the original party unless the court, on motion, orders the transferee to be substituted in the action or joined with the original party.(c)Incompetency. If a party becomes incompetent, the court may, on motion, permit the action to be continued by or against the party's representative.(d)Public Officers; Death or Separation from Office. (1) When a public officer is a party to an action in his or her official capacity and during its pendency dies, resigns, or otherwise ceased to hold office, the action does not abate and the officer's successor is automatically substituted as a party. Proceedings following the substitution shall be in the name of the substituted party, but any misnomer not affecting the substantial rights of the parties shall be disregarded. An order of the substitution may be entered at any time, but the omission to enter such an order shall not affect the substitution.(2) When a public officer sues or is sued in his or her official capacity, the officer may be described as a party by the officer's official title rather than by name; but the court may require that the officer's name be added.Adopted December 7, 2017, effective 1/1/2018.COMMENT
Reporter's Notes (2018):
Following the decision in Planchon v. Local Police & Fire Retirement System, 2015 Ark. 131, this rule was adopted to create a procedure for substitution of parties on appeal. This rule borrows from provisions in Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 43 and Arkansas Rule of Civil Procedure 25.