{ "id": "ep4hg59xzt", "slug": "john-t-shepherd-judge", "title": "John T. Shepherd (judge)", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "label": "Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "label": "Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy" } ] } ], "excerpt": "John T. Shepherd, born in 1987 in El Dorado, Arkansas, is a United States district judge for the Western District of Arkansas, confirmed by the Senate in April 2026.", "snippet": "John T. Shepherd, born in 1987 in El Dorado, Arkansas, is a United States district judge for the Western District of Arkansas, confirmed by the Senate in April 2026.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "markdown": "# John T. Shepherd (judge)\n\nJohn Thomas Shepherd (born 1987) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas since 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) He was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the Senate in April 2026 by a vote of 53 to 46.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190735) Before taking the federal bench, he served as a judge on the Circuit Court of Arkansas for the Thirteenth Judicial District.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) |\n| Confirmed | April 14, 2026 (Senate voted 53 to 46)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190735) |\n| Born | 1987, El Dorado, Arkansas[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) |\n| Education | B.A., Rice University (2009); J.D., University of Arkansas School of Law (2013)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nShepherd was born in 1987 in [El Dorado](https://www.edgepedia.org/el-dorado), Arkansas.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from [Rice University](https://www.edgepedia.org/rice-university) in 2009 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFrom 2013 to 2024, Shepherd practiced law in private practice in El Dorado, Arkansas.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) He concurrently served in the Prosecuting Attorney's Office for Arkansas's Thirteenth Judicial District from 2016 to 2024, first as a deputy prosecuting attorney from 2016 to 2017, then as prosecuting attorney from 2017 to 2019, and again as deputy prosecuting attorney from 2019 to 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120)\n\nIn 2025, Shepherd became a judge on the Circuit Court of Arkansas for the Thirteenth Judicial District, where he served until 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident Donald J. Trump nominated Shepherd to the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas on January 29, 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) The Senate confirmed his nomination on April 14, 2026, by a vote of 53 to 46.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190735) He received his commission on April 23, 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120)\n\nDuring Senate debate on the nomination, Senator Dick Durbin spoke in opposition, citing concerns about Judge Shepherd's overall lack of experience and arguing that he did not have adequate experience for litigants in the Western District of Arkansas.[3](https://www.congress.gov/119/crec/2026/04/14/172/65/modified/CREC-2026-04-14-pt1-PgS1721.htm) Senator John Boozman spoke in support, urging colleagues to vote to confirm the nomination.[3](https://www.congress.gov/119/crec/2026/04/14/172/65/modified/CREC-2026-04-14-pt1-PgS1721.htm)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762120)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote RS1190735](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190735)\n3. [Congressional Record, April 14, 2026](https://www.congress.gov/119/crec/2026/04/14/172/65/modified/CREC-2026-04-14-pt1-PgS1721.htm)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames Se to Sy*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/john-t-shepherd-judge", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/john-t-shepherd-judge.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"John T. Shepherd (judge)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/john-t-shepherd-judge. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[John T. Shepherd (judge)](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-t-shepherd-judge)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/john-t-shepherd-judge](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-t-shepherd-judge). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"John T. Shepherd (judge)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/john-t-shepherd-judge. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "John T. Shepherd, born in 1987 in El Dorado, Arkansas, is a United States district judge for the Western District of Arkansas, confirmed by the Senate in April 2026." }