Jay Dickey was born on December 14, 1939, in Pine Bluff into the family of Jay and Margaret Dickey. After graduation from Pine Bluff High School in 1957, he attended Hendrix College for one year on a basketball scholarship. He then transferred to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He made the Razorback basketball team and was given a full athletic basketball scholarship, only to contract polio in the spring of 1960, almost ending his athletic career. He fully recovered from polio in time to have an undefeated season with the tennis team as its No. 1 player, marry Betty Clark of Walnut Ridge, and enter law school. He was admitted to Blue Key, honorary fraternity. He graduated with a BA Degree from the school of Arts and Sciences in 1961 (combined degree) and from the School of Law in 1963. During law school, he became the Head Varsity Tennis Coach for two years and was elected to the law school's Student Senate.

Jay returned to Pine Bluff to practice law with his father, Jay W. Dickey, Sr., thus becoming the third generation lawyer of that firm. He was City Attorney of Pine Bluff from 1968-1970, having been appointed by the City Council. Both his uncle, Hendrix Rowell, and his grandfather, Alex H. Rowell, served as State Senators.

He has served as Huddle Leader of the Pine Bluff High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes and on the State Board of that organization. He is the past president of Pine Bluff Jaycees and the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the Jaycees in 1970. He is the former State Chairman of the Christian Legal Society. He served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas System from April 2002 to May 2003 and is a 2001 recipient of the Mary Rose Doe Award from Arkansas Right to Life.

Jay's family: son, John and spouse, Betty Jo, granddaughter, Hannah and grandson, Jonathan, of Sheridan, Arkansas, daughter, Laura and spouse, Rich Campbell, and grandson, Lydon and granddaughter Rachel of Boston, Mass., son, Ted and spouse, Lila, and granddaughter Grace Ann, grandson Edward and Elizabeth of Little Rock, Arkansas, and daughter Rachel Dickey Haithcoat and her husband Jeffrey of Atlanta, Georgia..

Jay was elected United States Representative for the Fourth District of Arkansas - the first Republican to be elected to the seat - November 3, 1992. He won re-election to a second term on November 8, 1994, a third term on November 5, 1996, and a fourth term on November 3, 1998. Jay served on the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittees on Agriculture, National Security, Energy and Water, Transportation and Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education. He presently operates JD Consulting Co., primarily a federal government lobbying firm, which represents clients' interest in children's health care, navigation and water, tax matters, homeland security, and roads.