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(a)
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(1) A circuit judge of any judicial district, any county of which has a population of two hundred forty thousand (240,000) or more according to the most recent federal census, may appoint one (1) law clerk for the county who shall be a licensed attorney or a graduate of a law school approved by the State Board of Law Examiners.
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(2) In any judicial district having more than one (1) division of a circuit court, the appointment of the law clerk shall be by concurrence of a majority of the judges of that district.
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(b) The law clerk may, in addition, serve as court reporter for the court or any division of the court.
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(c) Each circuit judge of a judicial district having a population of two hundred forty thousand (240,000) or more according to the most recent federal census may appoint a law clerk who may also serve as master who shall be a graduate of a law school approved by the State Board of Law Examiners.
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(d) The law clerk shall serve at the discretion and under the direction of the circuit judge to whom he or she is assigned.
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(e) The powers and duties of the law clerk shall be to administer oaths and affirmations; to take acknowledgments, affidavits, and depositions; to conduct pretrial and prejudgment hearings; and to make recommendations for dispositions to the circuit judge.
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(f) A law clerk may be assigned such additional duties at the discretion of the circuit judge as are not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the State of Arkansas.
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(g)
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(1) The salary of a law clerk for circuit court provided for under this section shall be the same salary as provided for a circuit court reporter in the district in which the law clerk is appointed.
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(2) Should the law clerk serve both as court reporter and law clerk, he or she shall receive in addition thereto the sum of six hundred dollars ($600) per annum.
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