You could try something like:

new JSONArray(jsonString)

or if it is a property:

jsonObject.getJSONArray(propertyName)

Input String

[
   {
      "userName": "sandeep",
      "age": 30
   }, 
   {
      "userName": "vivan",
      "age": 5
   }
]

Simple Way to Convert String to JSON

public class Test
{

    public static void main(String[] args) throws JSONException
    {
        String data = "[{\"userName\": \"sandeep\",\"age\":30},{\"userName\": \"vivan\",\"age\":5}]  ";
        JSONArray jsonArr = new JSONArray(data);

        for (int i = 0; i < jsonArr.length(); i++)
        {
            JSONObject jsonObj = jsonArr.getJSONObject(i);

            System.out.println(jsonObj);
        }

    }
}

Output

{"userName":"sandeep","age":30}
{"userName":"vivan","age":5}

In my ChecklistAnwer class i added:

   public JSONObject toJsonObject(){
    JSONObject json = new JSONObject();

    try {
        json.put("questionId", questionId);
        json.put("checklistId", checklistId);
        json.put("answer", answer);
        json.put("remark", remark);
    } catch (JSONException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }

    return json;
}

and in my other class:

JSONArray answers = new JSONArray();

ChecklistAnswer answer = new ChecklistAnswer(questions.get(id).id, 2, cb.isChecked(),         text.getText().toString());

answers.put(answer.toJsonObject());

if i filled the array:

String js = answers.toString(1);

and that returns:

[
 {
  "answer": true,
  "questionId": 1,
  "remark": "",
  "checklistId": 2
 },
 {
  "answer": false,
  "questionId": 4,
  "remark": "teesxfgtfghyfj",
  "checklistId": 2
 },
 {
  "answer": true,
  "questionId": 4,
  "remark": "",
  "checklistId": 2
 },
 {
  "answer": true,
  "questionId": 4,
  "remark": "",
  "checklistId": 2
 },
 {
  "answer": true,
  "questionId": 4,
  "remark": "",
  "checklistId": 2
 },
 {
  "answer": true,
  "questionId": 4,
  "remark": "",
  "checklistId": 2
 },
 {
  "answer": true,
  "questionId": 4,
  "remark": "",
  "checklistId": 2
 }
]

thanks to @Selvin

Simplest and correct code is:

public static String[] toStringArray(JSONArray array) {
    if(array==null)
        return new String[0];
    
    String[] arr=new String[array.length()];
    for(int i=0; i<arr.length; i++) {
        arr[i]=array.optString(i);
    }
    return arr;
}

Using List<String> is not a good idea, as you know the length of the array. Observe that it uses arr.length in for condition to avoid calling a method, i.e. array.length(), on each loop.

You can prefer quick-json parser to meet your requirement...

quick-json parser is very straight forward, flexible, very fast and customizable. Try this out

[quick-json parser] (https://code.google.com/p/quick-json/) - quick-json features -

• Compliant with JSON specification (RFC4627)

• High-Performance JSON parser

• Supports Flexible/Configurable parsing approach

• Configurable validation of key/value pairs of any JSON Heirarchy

• Easy to use # Very Less foot print

• Raises developer friendly and easy to trace exceptions

• Pluggable Custom Validation support - Keys/Values can be validated by configuring custom validators as and when encountered

• Validating and Non-Validating parser support

• Support for two types of configuration (JSON/XML) for using quick-json validating parser

• Require JDK 1.5 # No dependency on external libraries

• Support for Json Generation through object serialization

• Support for collection type selection during parsing process

For e.g.

JsonParserFactory factory=JsonParserFactory.getInstance();
JSONParser parser=factory.newJsonParser();
Map jsonMap=parser.parseJson(jsonString);

The other answer is correct, but for completeness, here are other ways:

List<SomeClass> list = mapper.readValue(jsonString, new TypeReference<List<SomeClass>>() { });
SomeClass[] array = mapper.readValue(jsonString, SomeClass[].class);

here you get JSONArray so change

JSONArray myjsonarray = myjson.toJSONArray(temparray); 

line as shown below

JSONArray jsonArray = new JSONArray(readlocationFeed);

and after

 JSONArray jsonArray =  new JSONArray(readlocationFeed);

    for (int i = 0; i < jsonArray.length(); i++) {
        JSONObject explrObject = jsonArray.getJSONObject(i);
        explrObject.getString("caption");
}

ArrayList<String> jsonStringToArray(String jsonString) throws JSONException {

    ArrayList<String> stringArray = new ArrayList<String>();

    JSONArray jsonArray = new JSONArray(jsonString);

    for (int i = 0; i < jsonArray.length(); i++) {
        stringArray.add(jsonArray.getString(i));
    }

    return stringArray;
}