District: 1
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Oklahoma County
Birthplace: Charleston, Arkansas
Spouse: Bess L. Brown Richardson
Children: David B. Richardson
David Arthur Richardson was the son of David Shields and Sallie C. Richardson. He graduated from Charleston, Arkansas in 1894 and then attended the University of Arkansas. He taught school for several years, and was superintendent of schools in Russellville, Arkansas from 1899 through 1902. He studied law during vacations and was admitted to the bar at Bonneville, Arkansas in 1901. After moving to McAlester, Indian Territory in 1903, Richardson became assistant attorney for the Choctaws and Chickasaws in the law firm of Mansfield, McMurray, and Cornish, investigating people seeking tribal enrollment. In 1904 he went to Bryan County to establish a law practice in Durant, Oklahoma. He married Bess L. Brown of Russellville, Arkansas on November 10, 1904 and they had one son, David B. Richardson.
Richardson was elected district judge of the sixth judicial district at Statehood. He was appointed to the Court of Criminal Appeals to complete the unexpired term of Thomas H. Owen. On January 9, 1911, Richardson moved back to Durant. He then moved to Oklahoma City. On January 1, 1913 he became a member of the firm Ames, Lowe, Richardson and Cochran. Marland Oil Company hired him as its general counsel and in 1926 he formed a partnership with Judge Samuel Hayes which was known as Hayes & Richardson.