Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Culpepper Takes Over DPA Job

Duncan Culpepper is going to be a very busy man.

Along with operating a private law practice, Culpepper is running for the newly created judicial spot for the 8th Judicial District North. In addition, he recently accepted the position as Eighth Judicial District Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, a post formerly held by Danny Rodgers.

Rodgers abdicated the position effective Jan. 1, 1998, the date Culpepper took the job. Rodgers will be Nevada County's public defender, sharing the duties with Marsha Basinger, an attorney with the firm of Honey and Honey.

Culpepper said his appointment was first discussed by Eighth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Brent Haltom and the DPA in Hempstead County, Randy Wright.

Rodgers had previously said Nevada County had enough of a case load for its own deputy prosecutor. Wright and Haltom agreed Culpepper was the most qualified attorney in Nevada County for the job.

However, as part of the agreement for taking the position, Culpepper said there will be some cases he cannot try because of conflicts of interest with his private practice. These cases will be prosecuted by Wright.

In addition, Culpepper accepted the job for a term of one year. This, he said, is because of the race for the newly created judgeship in the region.

Culpepper said Rodgers left the files in good shape, including notes on what needed to be done for each one, what their status is and what division each would be tried in.

However, as the public defender, Rodgers will also have conflicts with some of the cases on the docket. Many of these will be handled by Basinger, with others possibly tried by Jim Pedigo.

Culpepper said he had to think about taking the position when Haltom called, asking him to be the new deputy prosecutor for the county. "I didn't expect it," he said. "I wanted to prosecute once more before becoming a judge for the additional experience."

The Culpepper clan supported his decision to take the job, as they have his desire to seek the office of judge.

"I'm looking forward to working with the law enforcement and people of the area," he said. "I will be as supportive of the victims as possible, and will work with the schools as much as I can on juvenile issues."

The duties Culpepper assumes as deputy prosecutor includes trying all felony and misdemeanor cases, as well as juvenile cases in both Hempstead and Nevada counties.

Culpepper lives in Prescott with his wife, Debra, and two daughters, Laura, currently a student at Henderson State University, and Beth, a senior at Prescott High School.

He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he earned his B.S. in business administration. He received his law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville.

Culpepper is a past member of the Prosecuting Attorney's Association and a current member of the American, Arkansas and Southwest Arkansas Bar Associations.

He has been in private practice since 1979, with trial experience throughout Southwest Arkansas, primarily in Nevada and Hempstead counties.

He also served for nine years as Municipal Judge in Prescott and was a deputy prosecuting attorney for four years as well.

In the community, Culpepper has served as president of the Nevada County Association of Retarded Citizens, the Prescott Rotary Club, the Nevada County Group Home and the Nevada County Cancer Society.

Culpepper also works with the area's young people by having served on the 4-H Resource Advisory Committee and as a district committee member for the Boy Scouts. He is also a member of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce.