The Alabama Forestry Association (AFA) on Wednesday announced its endorsement of Judge Bill Thompson for reelection to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals.

Thompson, a resident of Homewood, was first elected to this court in 1996 and was reelected 2002, 2008 and 2014. He became presiding judge of the court in 2007.

In a statement, AFA executive vice president Chris Isaacson said, “We believe that Judge Thompson has a proven track record based on his 22 years on the bench. As the presiding judge, his conservative judicial philosophy has set a standard of fairness and impartialilty….which is what everyone wants on the court.”

Commenting on the endorsement, Thompson stated, “The Alabama Forestry Association was one of the first organizations to back my candidacy back in 1996. I am so pleased to have the continued support of the hard working people in forest industry once again.”

The announcement came one day after Thompson was endorsed for reelection by the Alabama Farmers Federation.

Thompson grew up in Autauga and Elmore Counties. He attended the University of Alabama, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1984. He graduated from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University with a Juris Doctor degree in 1988.

Prior to serving as an appellate judge, Thompson practiced law in both Birmingham and Montgomery, including serving as assistant legal advisor to the governor and working in the law firm of former Chief Justice Perry O. Hooper, Sr.

Thompson is a member of the Judicial Inquiry Commission, the Alabama Court Improvement Project and the Advisory Committee on Child Support Guidelines. He has served on the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism, the Appellate Rules Committee, the Judicial Study Commission, the Alabama Juvenile Code Revision Committee and the Committee on the Future of the Juvenile Justice System.

He served as the chief judge of the Alabama Court of the Judiciary for 10 years. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, a former member of the advisory board of the Service Guild of Birmingham’s Early Intervention Program and a former member of the board of directors of Children First.