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District Courtsof Benton County, Arkansas

Plea and discovery

A local docket label, not a stage of Arkansas law. Benton County courts use it for a case-management date between arraignment and trial.

Discovery is the State providing its evidence to the defense — reports, recordings, photographs, witness information. Plea is the answer to the charge. A plea and discovery docket is where those two meet: the defense reviews what the State has, the two sides discuss whether the case resolves, and if it does not, the court sets a trial date. Cases commonly appear on this docket more than once.

No Arkansas rule requires a stage by this name. Other courts schedule the same work under a different label, or not as a separate setting at all. Being on the docket does not mean a guilty plea is expected.

When Benton County courts hold these dockets

From the county's administrative plan, effective 1 January 2026. Local scheduling, which the plan notes can vary for judicial conferences and holidays.

Rogers District Court
  • 1st Thursday — county plea day, criminal and traffic. 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. dockets for people without a lawyer; 1:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. for those with one.
  • 2nd Thursday — city plea day for people without a lawyer, criminal and traffic, 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
  • 2nd Friday — city plea day for represented defendants, criminal and traffic, 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. No court is scheduled on the 1st, 3rd or 4th Friday.
Siloam Springs District Court
  • Tuesday — criminal and traffic plea and discovery hearings, 1:00 p.m.
Benton County West District Court
  • 2nd Wednesday — plea and discovery hearings and trials brought by city prosecutors, 1:00 p.m.
  • 3rd Wednesday — plea and discovery hearings and trials brought by the Benton County Prosecutor's Office, 1:00 p.m.

At Benton County West the two Wednesdays are split by who brings the case: city prosecutors on the second, the Benton County Prosecutor's Office on the third. Courts not listed here schedule this work without a separately named docket.

Where this sits in the process

  1. 1Citation or arrestA case usually starts either with a citation telling someone to appear in court, or with an arrest.
  2. 2First appearance and bondA judge tells the person what they are accused of, addresses their right to a lawyer, and decides conditions of release.
  3. 3ArraignmentThe formal court appearance on the charge, where the person enters a plea.
  4. 4Plea and discoveryYou are hereThe defense reviews the evidence, and the two sides discuss whether the case can be resolved without a trial.
  5. 5TrialIf the case does not resolve, a judge hears the evidence and decides whether the State has proved the charge.
  6. 6SentencingIf there is a guilty plea or a finding of guilt, the judge imposes a sentence allowed by law for that offense.
  7. 7AppealA district court judgment may be appealed to circuit court, subject to the applicable procedure and deadline.
What happens nextTrialIf the case does not resolve, a judge hears the evidence and decides whether the State has proved the charge.

Glossary: discovery, plea.

Sources: Arkansas Judiciary — Benton County administrative plan (opens in a new tab)Arkansas Judiciary (opens in a new tab)

Last reviewed: September 16, 2026