William Pryor: “I rise in support of a very fine person whom President Bush has nominated to be on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the…”

“I rise in support of a very fine person whom President Bush has nominated to be on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. His name is Bobby Shepherd. He will replace a very outstanding circuit court judge named Morris Arnold who is taking senior status. Judge Arnold has become a legal institution in the State of Arkansas and on the Eighth Circuit and in the Federal court system. He has absolutely done a fantastic job during his legal career of serving his country. He has decided to take senior status. I am thrilled President Bush has selected Bobby Shepherd to replace him on the Eighth Circuit. Judge Shepherd has been a U.S. magistrate in the District Court for the Western District of Arkansas for almost 13 years. One thing I have noticed about Judge Shepherd is, even though I practiced law in Arkansas since 1988, I have never heard one person say a bad word about Judge Bobby Shepherd. He was an elected court judge before he was a magistrate. He prides himself on being able to work out the litigation between or among the parties before the necessity of a trial. That is a great quality for a trial court judge and a Federal magistrate to try to unclog the court system by finding a resolution before you have to go to the expense and the time and the judicial resources of going to trial. Prior to his being a magistrate, he was an elected circuit court judge which is a trial court judge in Arkansas. He served there admirably.…”