Morris Sheppard Arnold (born October 8, 1941)[1] is aSenior United States circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and previously was a United States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.
Born in 1941, inTexarkana, Texas,[2] Arnold received aBachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree in 1965 from theUniversity of Arkansas, aBachelor of Laws in 1968 from theUniversity of Arkansas School of Law, aMaster of Laws in 1969 fromHarvard Law School and aDoctor of Juridical Science in 1971 from the same institution.[2] He entered private practice inTexarkana,Arkansas in 1968.[2]
Arnold was a teaching fellow in law atHarvard University from 1969 to 1970.[2] He was a professor atIndiana University Maurer School of Law from 1971 to 1977.[2] He was Vice President of theUniversity of Pennsylvania and a professor at theUniversity of Pennsylvania Law School from 1977 to 1981.[2] He was a professor at theWilliam H. Bowen School of Law from 1981 to 1984.[2] He returned to private practice inLittle Rock, Arkansas from 1981 to 1984.[2] He was Special Chief Justice of theArkansas Supreme Court in 1982.[2] He was a Special Master for the Chancery Court ofPulaski County, Arkansas in 1983.[2] He was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School from 1984 to 1985.[2] He was a visiting professor atStanford Law School in 1985.[2] He was dean of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 1985.[2]
Arnold was nominated by PresidentRonald Reagan on October 23, 1985, to theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, to a new seat authorized by 98 Stat. 333.[2] He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on December 16, 1985, and received his commission on December 17, 1985.[2] His service terminated on June 1, 1992, due to his elevation to the court of appeals.[2]
Arnold was nominated by PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush on November 6, 1991, to a seat on theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated by JudgeDonald P. Lay.[2] He was confirmed by the Senate on May 21, 1992, and received his commission on May 26, 1992.[2] He assumedsenior status on October 9, 2006.[2] He served as a Judge of theUnited States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review from 2008 to 2013, serving as Presiding Judge from 2012 to 2013.[2] He assumed inactive senior status on September 1, 2013, but he returned to the court in January 2016.[3][4]
Arnold has been the recipient of many academic honors, including multiple Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD and JD) from theUniversity of Pennsylvania, theUniversity of Connecticut,UALR,UA, and others. For his work in research and writing aboutcolonial Louisiana, Arnold has received the Ragsdale History Prize, the Booker Worthen Literary Prize,Porter Literary Prize, and the Arkansiana Award, as well as theChevalier de L’Ordre des Palmes Académiques from the French government.[5]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New seat | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas 1985–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 1992–2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review 2008–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Presiding Judge of theUnited States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review 2012–2013 | Succeeded by |
