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Richard Arnold (Arkansas)

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Richard Arnold

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Nonpartisan

Prior offices
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas

United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas

United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit

Education

Bachelor's

Yale University, 1957

Law

Harvard Law School, 1960

Personal
Birthplace
Texarkana, Texas


Richard Sheppard Arnold (1936-2004) was a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas and the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.

Early life and education

  • Yale University, B.A., 1957
  • Harvard Law School, LL.B., 1960[1]

Professional career

  • Law clerk, Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., Supreme Court of the United States, 1960-1961
  • Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1961-1964
  • Private practice, Texarkana, Arkansas, 1964-1973
  • Delegate, Seventh Arkansas Constitutional Convention, 1969-1970
  • Legislative secretary, Governor Dale Bumpers, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1973-1974
  • Legislative assistant, U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers, Washington, D.C., 1975-1978[1]

Awards and associations

  • 1998: Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award, American Judicature Society[2]

Judicial career

Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas

Arnold was nominated to both the Western and Eastern Districts of Arkansas by President Jimmy Carter on August 14, 1978, to a seat vacated by Terry Shell; he was confirmed by the Senate on September 20, 1978, and received commission on September 22, 1978. He served the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas until he was elevated to the Eighth Circuit on March 7, 1980.[1] Arnold was succeeded in this position by George Howard.

Eighth Circuit

Arnold was nominated to the Eighth Circuit by President Jimmy Carter on December 19, 1979, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629; he was confirmed by the Senate on February 20, 1980, and received commission that same day. From 1992-1998, he served as the chief judge. He assumed senior status on April 1, 2001. Arnold was also the 1998 recipient of the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. He served the Eighth Circuit until his death on September 23, 2004.[1]

External links


Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by:
Terry Shell
Eastern District of Arkansas
1978–1980
Seat #3
Succeeded by:
George Howard
Preceded by:
Terry Shell
Western District of Arkansas
1978–1980
Succeeded by:
George Howard
Preceded by:
NA - new seat
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
1980–2004
Succeeded by:
Lavenski Smith