William C. Thompson (New York judge)

For other people named William Thompson, see William Thompson (disambiguation).

William Colridge Thompson Sr. (October 26, 1924 – December 24, 2018) was a New York State Senator and justice of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division.^[1][2]

Biography

He was born on October 26, 1924, in New York City.^[3] He graduated from Brooklyn College, and in 1954 from Brooklyn Law School. Thompson served in the United States Army during World War II.^[4][5]

He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1965 to 1968, sitting in the 175th, 176th and 177th New York State Legislatures. He was a Democrat.^[6] He was Brooklyn's first African-American State Senator.^[2][7][8]

He was a member of the New York City Council from 1969 to 1973.^[6] In November 1973, he was elected to the New York Supreme Court.^[6]

In November 1974 he was designated as an associate justice of the Appellate Term, 2nd and 11th Districts.^[6] In December 1980, he was designated an associate justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department.^[6] He retired from the bench at the end of 2000 when he reached the constitutional age limit, and then became of counsel to the law firm of Roger Victor Archibald, PLLC.^[2][6]

Thompson died on December 24, 2018, at the age of 94.^[9] New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson (born 1953) was his son.^[10]