Myron H. Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Myron H. Thompson
Thompson in 2017
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
Incumbent
Assumed office August 22, 2013
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
In office 1991–1998
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
Appointed by	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Frank Minis Johnson
Succeeded by	Emily C. Marks
Personal details
Born	Myron Herbert Thompson (1947-01-07) January 7, 1947 (age 78) Tuskegee, Alabama
Education	Yale University (BA, JD)

Myron Herbert Thompson was born on January 7, 1947. He is a very experienced judge in the United States. He serves as a senior United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. This means he works in a federal court in Alabama.

Early Life and Education

Myron Thompson was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. He worked hard in school and went to Yale University. In 1969, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale. He then continued his studies at Yale Law School. In 1972, he received his law degree, called a Juris Doctor.

Starting His Career

After finishing law school, Thompson started his career in law. From 1972 to 1974, he worked as an Assistant Attorney General of Alabama. This role meant he helped the state's main lawyer. After that, he worked as a private lawyer in Dothan, Alabama. He did this until 1980.

Becoming a Federal Judge

Judge Thompson's portrait.

On September 17, 1980, President Jimmy Carter chose Myron Thompson for an important job. He nominated him to be a judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. This court handles federal cases in that part of Alabama.

Confirmation and Service

The United States Senate approved his nomination on September 26, 1980. He officially became a judge on September 29, 1980. Judge Thompson served as the main judge, called the Chief Judge, from 1991 to 1998. On August 22, 2013, he took on a new role called senior status. This means he still works as a judge but with a reduced workload. As of 2020, he was the last judge appointed by a Democratic president to this court.

Important Court Cases

Judge Thompson has been involved in many important cases. These cases often involve fairness and rights for people.

Voting Rights and Districts

In 2013, Judge Thompson was part of a group of three judges. They were looking at how voting districts were drawn in Alabama. This is called a redistricting case. He disagreed with the other judges' decision. He believed it unfairly used racial numbers. He felt it went against the spirit of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This law helps make sure everyone has a fair chance to vote. He thought it was "a cruel irony" that the state was using this law in a way he saw as unfair.

Protecting Rights

In 2014, Judge Thompson made another important ruling. This was in a case known as ... Southeast, Inc., v. Strange. He decided that a law in Alabama was unconstitutional. He said it placed an "undue burden" on people. This means the law made it too difficult for people to do something that should be their right.

See Also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists
• List of United States federal judges by longevity of service

Sources

• Myron Herbert Thompson at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.