WILSON, N.C. — Sept. 5, 2017 — In keeping with Barton College’s focus on bold leaders and thinkers, the Willis N. Hackney Library on campus is pleased to host the Honorable Albert S. Thomas, Jr., attorney and retired judge for the North Carolina Court of Appeals, as the featured speaker for its annual Constitution Day reception and program on Monday, Sept. 18.
His presentation will address “The United States Constitution: Why the Debate Will Never End.” After the presentation, a question-and-answer period will conclude the program. The event will be held from 5-7 p.m. in the Learning Commons on the first floor of the Willis N. Hackney Library. The reception will begin at 5 p.m., and the presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. This event is open to the public free of charge, and the community is encouraged to attend.
Constitution Day is traditionally celebrated each September 17 to mark the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution on that date in 1787, but as September 17 falls on a Sunday this year, the commemoration of the 230th anniversary will be held on Monday instead.
A native of Wilson, Judge Thomas received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also earned his Juris Doctor degree. He has been practicing law with Thomas Law, P.A., since January 2003. He served for more than 16 years as District Court Judge (1980 to 1996), for five years as Chief District Court Judge of the Seventh Judicial District (1996 to 2001), and for two years as a Judge for the North Carolina Court of Appeals (2001 through 2002). Prior to his service on the bench, he served as an attorney with the Farris, Thomas and Farris law firm from 1975 to 1980.
Judge Thomas has been involved in a wide range of legal activities across the state, including two terms of service on the Executive Board of the Governor’s Crime Commission, as well as service on the State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice, the North Carolina Supreme Court Custody Mediation Subcommittee, the North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission, the Governor’s Juvenile Code Revision Committee, the Guardian ad Litem Advisory Committee, the State Blue Book Committee that wrote the book “Juvenile Justice Procedures,” and the Advisory Committee for Governor’s Commission on Juvenile Crime and Justice. He has also served as instructor for Certification of Judges for Juvenile Court, as chairman of the Conference of District Court Judges’ Juvenile Justice Committee, and as a council member of the Friends of the Institute of Government. In addition, Judge Thomas directed and wrote the film “Alternatives,” which has been used in the training of judges, court counselors, and other professionals for juvenile court.
Judge Thomas also has served as an adjunct instructor at Barton College continuously since 2010.
Community service represents a large portion of his portfolio. Judge Thomas has served on the founding boards of both Y.O.U.T.H. of Wilson and Wilson Families in Action, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Wilson County Chamber of Commerce, the Wilson County 4-H and Youth Advisory Board, the Wilson 2000 Board, the Wilson Criminal Justice Partnership Board, the Nash Community College Criminal Justice Curriculum Review Committee, and the Wilson County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council. He currently serves on the Wilson Arts Council Endowment Committee and the Wilson Area Habitat for Humanity Board. And, he has served on the Wilson YMCA Board since 2003 and on its Executive Board since 2006, for which he serves as president-elect for the 2017-18 year. Judge Thomas is a member of St. Therese Catholic Church, where he has served on its Parish Advisory Council.
Judge Thomas and his wife, Georgia, make their home in Wilson. They have two children, Sara Caroline and Albert Cooper.
For additional information about this event, please contact Ann Dolman, outreach and public services librarian, at 252-399-6502, 252-399-6507, or adolman@barton.edu.
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