Robert R. Thomas

Robert Randall Thomas (born August 7, 1952) is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois and a former professional football player. He served as the Illinois Supreme Court Justice for the Second District from December 4, 2000, to February 29, 2020, and as chief justice from September 6, 2005, to September 5, 2008. His political affiliation is Republican.

Early life and education Born in Rochester, New York, Thomas graduated from McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester, where he excelled both academically and in athletics, lettering in both football and soccer.

He attended the University of Notre Dame where he kicked for the football team, including kicking the winning field goal in the 1973 Sugar Bowl victory over University of Alabama, which clinched the AP National Championship that season for Notre Dame. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in government in 1974

He played for the Chicago Bears (– and –), the Detroit Lions (1982), the San Diego Chargers , and the New York Giants .

Legal career He was elected circuit court judge in DuPage County in 1988. In February 2020, he announced he would resign from the Supreme Court effective February 29.

Ruling on Rahm Emanuel ballot eligibility On January 1, 2011, Justice Thomas authored the Illinois State Supreme Court decision Maksym v. Chicago Board of Elections that overturned a lower court ruling that Rahm Emanuel was ineligible to run for Mayor of Chicago.

Honors and awards In April 1996, Thomas was inducted into the Academic All-American Hall of Fame.

Later in 2007, after the newspaper filed suit against Thomas in federal court, the parties came together and settled all litigation, with the newspaper agreeing to pay Thomas $3 million.