Will Thomas

William Donald Thomas (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician and jurist who served as the 19th Chief Justice of the United States from 1999 to 2002, after having served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1995 to 1999. A Republican, Thomas briefly served as the U.S. Representative from the 6th district in 1995 after serving as the 18th White House Chief of Staff from 1993 to 1995. Thomas has served as the U.S. Representative from the 7th district since 2005.

Thomas successfully ran for his old House seat in a special election. After winning the election, he declined the seat due to his service on the Supreme Court. Ainsley Bryant, whom he succeeded on the Supreme Court, was appointed to fill the seat instead.

Thomas was confirmed as an associate justice on November 22, 1995, and he served in that position for under three years before becoming acting chief justice upon the resignation of Don Kerry on June 28, 1998. On April 10, 1999, Thomas was confirmed and sworn in as chief justice, officially succeeding Kerry. He resigned from the Supreme Court on October 27, 2002, and was succeeded as chief justice by John Pinnacle.