Judge Sidney Runyan Thomas, 56, has served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit since 1996. A native of Bozeman, Montana, Judge Thomas received his B.A. from Montana State University in 1975 and his J.D cum laude from the University of Montana in 1978. During his final year of college and throughout law school, he served on the Board of Regents of Higher Education at Montana State University. Following law school, he joined the law practice of Moulton, Bellingham, Longo & Mather P.C. (now Mouton Bellingham P.C.) in Billings, MT, where he eventually made partner, and where he worked until he was confirmed to the bench. While in private practice, Judge Thomas specialized in bankruptcy, government, and media law. He also taught law as an adjunct instructor at Rocky Mountain College from 1982 to 1995, and he served as the standing bankruptcy trustee for all bankruptcy cases filed in the Billings division of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana from 1978 to 1981. With the recommendation of Senator Max Baucus, President Clinton nominated him to the Ninth Circuit in July 1995, and he was confirmed by voice vote on January 2, 1996. Judge Thomas and his wife, also an attorney, have two children.