(a) As used in this subchapter, “district court” shall include a department of a district court.
(b)
(1) Effective January 1, 2012, all city courts shall be consolidated with district courts and continue to exist as departments of district courts unless a city court is abolished by town or city ordinance pursuant to this subchapter.
(2) A city court formerly known as the “________ City Court” shall be redesignated as the “________ District Court, ____________ Department”.
(c)
(1) A district court that has a department or departments shall maintain a docket in each department and set court dates for hearing the docket in the town or city in which the department is located, as required by the Arkansas District Courts Accounting Law, § 16-10-201 et seq.
(2) By common agreement, a district court and the town or city where the department of the district court is located may provide locations and dates for hearing the docket.
(d)
(1)
(A) A town or city that prior to January 1, 2012, operated a city court that becomes a department of a district court may by ordinance of the town or city in which the department is located abolish the department of district court.
(B) A copy of the ordinance abolishing the department of a district court shall be sent to the Administrative Office of the Courts.
(2)
(A) On and after the effective date of the ordinance abolishing the department of a district court, the nearest district court in the county shall be regarded as a continuation of the department of district court that was abolished.
(B) All papers and records pertaining to a department of a district court abolished by ordinance shall be transferred to the appropriate district court, and no suit or prosecution of any kind or nature shall abate because of any change made by this subchapter.
(C) Except as modified in accordance with this subchapter, any of the following existing on the effective date of the ordinance abolishing the department of a district court shall continue unaffected:
(i) A writ;
(ii) An action;
(iii) A suit;
(iv) A proceeding;
(v) Civil liability;
(vi) Criminal liability;
(vii) A prosecution;
(viii) A judgment;
(ix) A decree;
(x) An order;
(xi) A sentence;
(xii) A regulation;
(xiii) A cause of action; and
(xiv) An appeal.
(e) No town or city shall have the authority to reinstate a department of district court abolished by ordinance.