As a part of the omnibus appropriation bill signed by the President on February 20, 2003, the United States Courthouse in Little Rock, Arkansas, has been designated as the "Richard Sheppard Arnold United States Courthouse."

Judge Arnold first joined the federal courts in 1978 as a District Court Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas. In 1980, he was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, where he served as Chief Judge from 1992 to 1998. He assumed senior status on April 1, 2001.

During his time on the bench, Judge Arnold has developed a reputation as a brilliant jurist and legal scholar. In 1999 he received the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. He is highly-regarded and well-loved by his colleagues in this circuit and elsewhere throughout the legal community. Congratulations on this exciting honor, Judge Arnold!