Glasgow native gets chief judge post

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December 10, 2008

By GINA KINSLOW The Glasgow Daily Times Wed Dec 10, 2008, 11:23 AM CST

GLASGOW — A Glasgow native has been appointed chief judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.

Judge Thomas B. Russell assumed his new duties Dec. 1 and will serve a seven-year term.

“I’m excited about taking the job,” he said.

Prior to being named chief judge, Russell was appointed a U.S. District Judge in October 1994 by President Bill Clinton.

Russell explained his new duties as a chief judge of the United States District Court are somewhat similar to those he carried out as a United States District Court Judge.

“I still do the same thing. I’ll just have more administrative duties,” he said.

His resident office is in the Paducah division of the court.

During his judicial tenure, he has served as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States Advisory Committee for Civil Rules and is currently a member of the Judicial Conference’s Magistrate Judge Committee.

Russell grew up in Glasgow. He graduated from Glasgow High School and received his BA from Western Kentucky University. He graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he served as managing editor of the Kentucky Law Journal.

Russell practiced law in Paducah for 25 years and was a partner in the law firm of Whitlow, Roberts, Houston and Russell from 1970 to 1994.

His cousin, Emmy Lou Dickinson, of Glasgow, described him as being friendly, outgoing and a very down-to-earth person.

“I thought he was a fine person before he became a judge,” she said.

Charlie Goodman, a Glasgow attorney, has known Russell for many years.

“He’s greatly admired in the legal profession. Tommy has always been somebody everyone looked up to,” he said. “He’s very straightforward. What you see is what you get. You always knew where he stood on things and he didn’t try to say one thing to one person and the opposite to another person.”

Goodman and Russell grew up together. They were in the Boy Scouts and played high school sports together. Goodman said Russell is the type of person who always strives to do his best and that includes his high school athletic career as well as his legal career.

“He was one of the toughest football players Glasgow High School has ever had,” Goodman said.

He recalled an incident where Russell asked GHS coach Jim Poynter if he could have a new football helmet. He needed a new helmet, Goodman said, because he had put a dent in the one he had from tackling another football player.

“You don’t put a dent in a football helmet,” Goodman said. “That’s like putting a dent in a bowling ball. That was exemplary of Tommy putting 110 percent in whatever he did. He certainly deserves the recognition he has received. He is greatly admired by the attorneys.”

During his tenure in private law practice, he was active in professional associations, having served as president of the Kentucky Bar Association from 1991-92; president of the McCracken County Bar Association from 1989-90; and president of the Kentucky Defense Counsel from 1987-88.

He also served as chair of numerous American Bar Association committees and is a member of the Louisville Bar Association. He received the Louisville Bar Association’s 2005 Judge of the Year award and the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer’s 2005 Fair Administration of Justice Award.

Russell is married to Phyllis Baird Russell. The couple have two sons: Thomas Baird Russell and John Banister Russell. Russell is the son of Eleanor Miller Russell and the late James B. Russell.

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