Arkansas Advocate: South Arkansas circuit judge confirmed to federal judgeship

CONFIRMED — From left: Republican state Rep. Matthew Shepherd, Circuit Judge John Shepherd and U.S. Appeals Judge Bobby Shepherd on Jan. 1, 2025 after John Shepherd’s swearing in as a 13th Judicial District judge in El Dorado. | Photo courtesy of Matthew Shepherd

By ANTOINETTE GRAJEDA | Arkansas Advocate

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed John Thomas Shepherd to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Arkansas. 

President Donald Trump nominated Shepherd to the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Arkansas. Shepherd is a circuit judge in Arkansas’ 13th Judicial Circuit, which includes Calhoun, Cleveland, Columbia, Dallas, Ouachita and Union counties.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas includes 34 of Arkansas’ 75 counties and most of the 13th Judicial Circuit with the exceptions of Cleveland and Dallas counties.

Shepherd, confirmed on a 53-46 vote, succeeds U.S. District Judge Susan Hickey, who is retiring after serving in the position since 2011. Hickey was nominated to the judgeship by former President Barack Obama. 

Arkansas’ two Republican senators voted to confirm Shepherd and praised his qualifications.

“I am pleased to congratulate John Thomas Shepherd on his confirmation and am confident he will serve with the same integrity, professionalism and sound judgment he has demonstrated throughout his career,” Sen. John Boozman said in a statement. “We are grateful for his deep commitment to public service and the rule of law.”

A native of El Dorado, Shepherd graduated from Rice University with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2009 and earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2013, according to the Shepherd & Shepherd law firm’s website. 

He was a partner at the firm alongside his brother, Rep. Matthew Shepherd, a Republican and former Arkansas House speaker.

Their father is Judge Bobby Shepherd of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis. He was nominated to the court in 2006 by then-President George W. Bush.

“Judge John Thomas Shepherd has worked throughout his career to uphold the rule of law, preserve public safety, and keep crime out of Arkansas,” Sen. Tom Cotton said in a statement. “I’m pleased that Judge Shepherd has been confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.”