Colin Lillard is a captain in the Dover Marshal’s Office in Dover, Arkansas, and the defendant in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Justin MacHenry. The case, MacHenry v. Lillard, was removed from Pope County Circuit Court to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas in February 2026, and a jury trial is scheduled for September 2027.
What the Lawsuit Against Lillard Alleges
MacHenry sued Lillard under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the federal statute that lets individuals sue government officials for violations of their constitutional rights. The docket classifies the claim as “Other Civil Rights.”1PACER Monitor. MacHenry v. Lillard
The specific factual allegations in MacHenry’s complaint are not publicly available, so the conduct underlying the suit is not described in the court record reviewed here. The case was originally filed in Pope County Circuit Court as 58CV-25-00895 and removed on February 5, 2026, where it was assigned federal case number 4:26-cv-00126 and placed before Judge Brian S. Miller.1PACER Monitor. MacHenry v. Lillard
MacHenry is represented by William Whitfield Hyman of King Law Group. Lillard is represented by Matthew Keith Wren of the Arkansas Municipal League, which commonly defends municipal employees in Arkansas.
Where the Case Stands
Lillard filed a motion to stay the proceedings, which the court denied as moot on February 23, 2026. On the same date, MacHenry was granted leave to amend his complaint.2PACER Monitor. MacHenry v. Lillard, Order on Motions
A final scheduling order entered on May 12, 2026, set the jury trial for the week of September 13, 2027, in Little Rock, with discovery to close in April 2027 and dispositive motions due the following month.1PACER Monitor. MacHenry v. Lillard As of mid-2026, the case was active and still in its early stages.
Who Captain Lillard Is
Lillard holds the rank of captain in the Dover Marshal’s Office, a small law enforcement agency in Pope County, Arkansas. He was promoted to captain in or around March 2024, according to the minutes of a Dover city council meeting held on March 19, 2024, where the promotion was noted in a police report without recorded council debate.3City of Dover, Arkansas. March 2024 Minutes His duties include investigative work within the department.
Dover operates under a city marshal’s office rather than a traditional police department, a structure Arkansas law allows incorporated towns and second-class cities to establish by ordinance.4FindLaw. Arkansas Code § 14-52-103 The office is led by a chief marshal; as of late 2025, that role was held by Joshua Titsworth.
Prior Controversies at the Dover Marshal’s Office
The MacHenry suit is not the first time the Dover Marshal’s Office has drawn legal or public scrutiny.
The Robinson Excessive Force Case
In September 2011, Eva Robinson and her 16-year-old son Matthew were stopped by Dover Deputy Marshal Steven Payton and Pope County Sheriff’s Sergeant Kristopher Stevens while walking their dog. A federal lawsuit later filed with ACLU sponsorship alleged the two were detained, beaten, and arrested despite having committed no crime and not being suspected of one. Matthew Robinson sustained 22 taser marks during the encounter.5ACLU. Neither Served Nor Protected
The Robinsons reported the incident to the Dover marshal, the mayor, the city council, and the Pope County sheriff, but according to the ACLU, nothing was done.6ACLU. ACLU of Arkansas and Robinson Family Response to Verdict in Police Abuse Case in Dover The ACLU of Arkansas joined the lawsuit in July 2013.7Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. ACLU Joins Lawsuit Over Purported Police Abuse in Dover In 2015, Stevens and Pope County settled with the Robinsons for $225,000, while a federal jury returned a verdict in favor of Payton. The ACLU said neither officer was disciplined and that no policy changes or additional training followed.
The Nathan Jones Firing
In October 2025, Dover Deputy Marshal Nathan Jones was fired after a security camera video of him threatening a local smoke shop owner went viral. Jones had entered the 479 Smoke Shop while off duty to confront employees about text messages and a photograph that allegedly showed him with a pipe. During the encounter, he told staff, “I am the law in this town,” and warned he would use connections with federal agencies to have the business raided.8KATV. Dover Deputy Marshal Fired for Threatening Smoke Shop Owner Seeks Further Action
Chief Marshal Titsworth fired Jones on October 1, 2025, with the Marshal’s Office stating that his remarks were “contrary to its commitment to fair and impartial enforcement of the law.” Jones said the accusations against him were false and that he was terminated without an investigation. Shop owner Robert Shelton described the encounter as traumatizing and publicly called for criminal charges.9THV11. Dover Marshal Defends Actions Amid Controversy
Available records do not show any direct connection between the Jones incident and the Lillard lawsuit. The MacHenry case remains pending, with trial set for fall 2027.