Jeff Davis Duty, Jr. (known as “Davis Duty”), was born in Rogers, Arkansas. His father, Jeff Duty, Sr., was a lawyer, prosecuting attorney, and assistant state attorney general. His mother, Lois Duty, was a career school teacher.
Davis graduated from Fayetteville High School after attending both Rogers and Little Rock high schools. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas and studied international law as a Fulbright Scholar at the London School of Economics in England. While at the university, he was a member of the student senate and the student court, as well as Phi Delta Theta Social fraternity, Phi Bata Kappa scholastic fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership fraternity, and Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity.
He served elected positions in his hometown of Rogers as City Attorney and Municipal Judge. He was appointed as United States Administrative Law Judge with the Social Security Administration, in which capacity he served from 1975-1984, assigned to Florence, Alabama, Fresno, California, and Phoenix, Arizona.
Blind from age five, he is one of the oldest, active Seeing Eye guide dog users in the world, having received his first dog in 1952. His current dog is a German Shepherd named Caleb.
Mr. Duty is an enthusiastic participant in Scottish events throughout the United States and plays the bagpipes for fun and entertainment. In addition to being a member of Scottish clans Donald, Ross, and McDuff, he and his wife, Barbara, are both members of the ancient military order of The Knight’s of the Temple of Jesus (Knight’s Templar). Mr. Duty has written several books on genealogy.
Barbara and Davis have traveled extensively throughout North America and Europe, including several trips to Scotland to participate in international Scottish events. They are members of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and both take an active part in church, community, and political activities.
Barbara and Davis have three children, Diana West, John Duty, and Snow Hendryx, and seven grandchildren: Alex, Ben, Quinn, Lyndi, Leyton, Nicole, and James, and one great-grandchild.
Davis is also a member of the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association of Justice, The American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys and the American Bar Association. Both he and his wife Barbara are avid Razorback fans.