Grassley Ushers 100th District Judge to Confirmation as Judiciary Chairman

Grassley Ushers 100th District Judge to Confirmation as Judiciary Chairman

Senate's confirmation of Arkansas judge marks 100 district judges confirmed over Grassley's nearly six years of chairmanship.

WASHINGTON - The Senate today confirmed John Thomas Shepherd to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas, by a vote of 53-46, marking the 100^th federal district court judge confirmed under the leadership of Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

"Throughout my time leading the Senate Judiciary Committee, I've been committed to putting highly qualified, constitutionalist judges on the bench who strengthen the independence and integrity of the federal judiciary. I'm proud to have steered 100 district court judges to lifetime appointments in courthouses across the nation," Grassley said. "A nonpartisan study shows the most productive, highest quality and least partisan judges were nominated by President Trump compared to both of his predecessors. I look forward to continuing to build on that success."

Background:

Grassley has served on the Judiciary Committee since 1981, when he was first sworn into the Senate. He has sat on the Judiciary Committee longer than any other member in Senate history. Grassley served as Judiciary Chairman throughout the 114^th and 115^th Congresses, from 2015 to 2019, and resumed chairmanship at the start of 119^th Congress in 2025 to date.

During Grassley's tenure at the helm of the Judiciary Committee, the Senate has confirmed 142 Article III judges, including 100 district court judges, 38 circuit court judges, two judges for the Court of International Trade and two Supreme Court justices.

In 2025, a nonpartisan study conducted by professors at New York University and the University of Virginia found that, in comparison to judges nominated during the Biden and Obama administrations, the most productive, highest quality and least partisan judges were nominated by President Trump.

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