1. Define the geographic boundary before choosing stories
The 2020–2024 ACS five-year population estimate is 13,623, with a margin of error of 43. For Legal News, the practical question is narrower: which stories are genuinely relevant to people your firm serves? A Marion firm may need to distinguish Marion coverage from wider Crittenden County coverage and from statewide Arkansas developments. A story involving another Arkansas community may still matter if it changes a statewide rule or creates a legal question within the firm’s practice. A local incident, however, should not be presented as a Marion matter unless the facts support that description.
Recommended approach
Set a written geographic policy for review: Marion, Crittenden County, Arkansas statewide developments, and any other area the firm actually serves. Review proposed headlines and page copy against that policy before publication.
