U.S. Senator Mark Pryor today testified on behalf of James Maxwell Moody, Jr. of Little Rock, nominee for the U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Pryor’s prepared testimony is below:
Thank you Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Grassley, and members of the Committee for giving me an opportunity to introduce James Maxwell Moody, Jr. of Little Rock,Arkansas. It’s great to have Jay in town for this hearing, and I appreciate his family and friends who’ve made the trip to Washington, D.C. to be with him on this special day.
Considering federal judges is not something I take lightly. We all know that it takes a qualified individual to do this job. They must have the proper judicial temperament and the ability to be fair and impartial. I’m here today to tell you—Jay far meets and far exceeds these criteria. That’s why I was proud to nominate him to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
Since 2003, Jay has served as a Circuit Judge for the Third Division of the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas. He previously worked at the firm of Wright, Lindsey & Jennings. He started at Wright in 1989, and became a partner shortly thereafter in 1994. During his time in private practice, he focused on civil litigation in state and federal courts, with a specialization on product liability and heavy trucking defense. Jay has also spent time as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Arkansas Bowen School of Law, where he received his J.D. in 1989. Jay earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas in 1986.
I’ve been fortunate to know Jay—on both a personal and professional level—for a long time and I’ve always been impressed by his abilities. And I’m not alone in that. Jay was voted the Pulaski County Judge of the Year in 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2011. In 2009, he won the Pulaski County Bar Association President’s Award. In 2002, he was named to Leadership Greater Little Rock, as well Arkansas Business 40 Under 40. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Pulaski County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Arkansas Bar Association. He is a graduate of the National Judicial College General Jurisdiction and National Institute of Trial Advocacy. His list of accomplishments goes on and on.
I can say, without hesitation, that Jay is a man of strong character. While Jay is prohibited from actively engaging in other pro-bono legal work because of his position as Circuit Judge, he dedicates significant amounts of time to his local community. Whether it’s teaching Sunday school, coaching the basketball team, or mentoring students through the confirmation process at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock.
To those of us who know him, Jay is an exceptional judge and outstanding individual. I know he will serve the Eastern District of Arkansas with distinction. I strongly support his nomination, and I hope you will swiftly confirm him.
