{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1FCF1235-F377-45E8-A325-6BCCCDBCB4A0", "Boozman Introduces John Thomas Shepherd to Judiciary Committee", "2026-02-04", "2026", "2026-02", "Republican", "Senate", "AR", "John Boozman", "B001236", "www.boozman.senate.gov", "boozman", "https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases", "scraper", "Senator Encourages Support for Arkansan to Serve as U.S. District Court Judge\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) introduced John Thomas Shepherd at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to consider his nomination to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.\n\nBoozman highlighted Shepherd\u2019s impressive legal background and expressed strong confidence in his ability to craft sound, fair and impartial rulings from the federal bench.\n\n\u201cHis integrity, professionalism and thoughtful leadership have earned him the trust and respect of Arkansans throughout his career,\u201d said Boozman. \u201cI strongly support his nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.\u201d\n\nA native of El Dorado, Shepherd is a graduate of Rice University and the University of Arkansas School of Law. He previously served as a prosecuting attorney and later as a judge for Arkansas\u2019s 13th Judicial Circuit. For more information on his nomination, click here.\n\nBelow are Boozman\u2019s remarks as delivered:\n\nThank you, Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Durbin, and good morning to my distinguished colleagues.\n\nIt is an honor to be here today to introduce fellow Arkansan, John Thomas Shepherd, President Trump\u2019s nominee to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.\n\nI would also like to say hi to his family and friends who are here in attendance to support him. We are more than happy to have you.\n\nA native of El Dorado, Arkansas, John Thomas is a graduate of Rice University and the University of Arkansas School of Law.\n\nAfter graduating, John Thomas served as an attorney and later partner at Shepherd and Shepherd with his brother, Matthew, who is also a very respected lawyer in South Arkansas.\n\nAnd they both take after their father, Bobby, who has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit since 2006.\n\nJohn Thomas went on to become the prosecuting attorney, and then judge, for Arkansas\u2019s 13th Judicial Circuit.\n\nThroughout his career, he has earned the trust and respect of his fellow attorneys, law enforcement officials, and Arkansans through his integrity, professionalism and thoughtful leadership.\n\nHe is widely regarded as a fair and even-handed jurist whose careful analysis and sound judgment reflect a deep respect for the rule of law.\n\nJohn Thomas has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and an intellectual rigor, and I am confident he will bring the same level of care and diligence to every matter that comes before him.\n\nHis breadth of experience as a prosecutor and a judge has prepared him well for the federal bench, and it is for these reasons that I commend President Trump\u2019s decision to nominate him.\n\nThere is no question that John Thomas Shepherd is exceptionally qualified and well-suited to serve with distinction on the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.\n\nI strongly support his nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.\n\nThank you.\n\nClick play to view the video or follow this link\n\nhttps://youtu.be/DvQ1wbZgLFw?si=j2PhNihLKwCkxb0t", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T17:26:08Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1FCF1235-F377-45E8-A325-6BCCCDBCB4A0"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.5931111518293619, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}