Sidney Thomas | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Thomas in 2010 | |
| Senior Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
| Assumed office May 4, 2023 | |
| Chief Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
| In office December 1, 2014 – December 1, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Alex Kozinski |
| Succeeded by | Mary H. Murguia |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
| In office January 4, 1996 – May 4, 2023 | |
| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Dorothy Wright Nelson |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Johnstone |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sidney Runyan Thomas (1953-08-14)August 14, 1953 (age 72) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Montana State University (BA) University of Montana (JD) |
Sidney Runyan Thomas (born August 14, 1953) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as aseniorU.S. circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit since 1996. He served as the Ninth Circuit's chief judge from 2014 to 2021. His chambers are located inBillings,Montana.
Thomas was born inBozeman,Montana. He received hisBachelor of Arts degree fromMontana State University in 1975 and hisJuris Doctor with honors from theUniversity of Montana School of Law in 1978.[1] He was appointed as a student member of the state Board of Regents of Higher Education in 1974 and reappointed in 1976.[2]
After graduating fromlaw school, Thomas entered private practice at Moulton, Bellingham, Longo & Mather, alaw firm inBillings, Montana.[2] He became a senior partner there, where he specialized in commercial litigation[2] as well as government, bankruptcy and media law.[3]
Thomas also served as the standing bankruptcy trustee for all bankruptcy cases filed in the Billings Division of theUnited States District Court for the District of Montana from 1978 to 1981 and served as an adjunct instructor in law atRocky Mountain College from 1982 to 1995.[4]
On July 19, 1995, PresidentBill Clinton nominated Thomas to a seat on theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated by JudgeDorothy Wright Nelson. His nomination had been briefly held up byU.S. SenatorConrad Burns of Montana, who wanted the nominations of Thomas andA. Wallace Tashima delayed until the passage of a bill to split the Ninth Circuit into two circuits.[1] TheUnited States Senate confirmed Thomas on January 2, 1996 by avoice vote. He received his commission on January 4, 1996. He served asChief Judge from December 1, 2014 to December 1, 2021.[5][6] On March 29, 2022, he announced his intent to assumesenior status upon confirmation of a successor.[7] He assumedsenior status on May 4, 2023.[5]
Judge Thomas is theen banc coordinator for the Ninth Circuit, whose parliamentarian-type duties can affect the outcome of any case. "I've never known one of his rulings to be challenged," the Ninth Circuit's Chief Judge,Alex Kozinski, stated in 2010. "I think it's a tribute to his evenhandedness that he's been on the job for many years, and nobody wants a different en banc coordinator."[8]
Senior White House officials listed Thomas among the approximately 10 individuals who were considered to replace retiringUnited States Supreme CourtAssociate JusticeJohn Paul Stevens.[9]
On April 29, 2010,PresidentBarack Obama andVice PresidentJoe Biden both separately interviewed Thomas at theWhite House.[10] Obama eventually nominatedSolicitor GeneralElena Kagan, who was confirmed.
Thomas authored the opinion inNadarajah v. Gonzales,[11] a civil rights case in 2006 on a suspectedTamil Tiger immigrant.
Thomas was in the majority inPeruta v. San Diego, a 2016 ordinance that ruled thatSan Diego's restrictive gun policy was constitutional.[12][13]
On June 26, 2020, Thomas ruled in favor of theSierra Club, holding that the Department of Defense's decision to use $2.5 billion in Pentagon funds to fund the border wall violates the Appropriations Clause.[14] On July 31, the ruling was effectively reversed in a 5–4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.[15]
On May 13, 2021, Thomas ruled that an immigrant who arrived in the United States as a child does not need to have lawful permanent residency in order to derive citizenship from a parent who naturalized.[16]
Thomas is married to Martha Sheehy, aBillings attorney who has practiced law since 1988.[17]
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 1996–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2014–2021 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
