Myron H. Thompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Myron H. Thompson
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Thompson in 2017
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| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama | |
| Assumed office August 22, 2013 |
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| Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama | |
| In office 1991–1998 |
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| Preceded by | Truman McGill Hobbs |
| Succeeded by | Harold Albritton |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama | |
| In office September 29, 1980 – August 22, 2013 |
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| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Frank Minis Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Emily C. Marks |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Myron Herbert Thompson
January 7, 1947 Tuskegee, Alabama |
| Education | Yale University (BA, JD) |
Myron Herbert Thompson (born January 7, 1947) is a very important judge in the United States. He serves as a senior United States district judge for the Middle District of Alabama. This means he helps make sure laws are followed fairly in that area.
Contents
Becoming a Judge: Myron Thompson's Journey
Early Life and Education
Myron Thompson was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, on January 7, 1947. He worked hard in school. He went to Yale University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. After that, he studied law at Yale Law School, getting his law degree in 1972.
Starting His Legal Career
After finishing law school, Thompson began his career helping the state of Alabama. He worked as an Assistant Attorney General of Alabama from 1972 to 1974. An Attorney General is like the state's main lawyer. Later, he worked as a private lawyer in Dothan, Alabama, until 1980.
Joining the Federal Court
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter chose Myron Thompson to become a federal judge. The United States Senate agreed with this choice. On September 29, 1980, he officially became a judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
He was the main judge, called the Chief Judge, from 1991 to 1998. In 2013, he became a "senior judge." This means he still works, but with a lighter schedule. He is the last judge appointed by a Democratic president to serve on this court.
Important Cases and Decisions
Voting Rights and Fair Districts
In 2013, Judge Thompson was part of a group of judges looking at how voting districts were drawn in Alabama. This is called "redistricting." It's important to make sure everyone's vote counts fairly. Judge Thompson disagreed with some parts of the decision. He felt that the way Alabama was drawing districts might not be fair to all voters. He believed it could make it harder for some groups to have their voices heard.
Protecting Personal Rights
Judge Thompson has also made decisions about laws that affect people's personal choices and healthcare. In 2019, he stopped a state law in Alabama from taking effect. This law would have made it very difficult for people to make certain medical decisions. Judge Thompson decided that the law likely went against people's constitutional rights. He said that individuals have a right to make important personal choices before a certain point in time.
In 2014, he made a similar ruling in another case. He found that an Alabama law about certain medical procedures was unconstitutional. He explained that the law placed too much difficulty on people trying to get these services. His decisions in these cases focused on protecting individual freedoms and rights under the Constitution.
See also
