Atlanta, August 13, 2015 – Chief Justice Hugh P. Thompson has been elected to the Board of
Directors of the Conference of Chief Justices, the national organization that represents the
highest judicial officers from every state in the country, as well as from the District of Columbia
and U.S. territories.
The 11-member board is the governing body for the Conference of Chief Justices. The purpose
of the Conference is to provide an opportunity for consultation among the nation’s highest
judicial officers on matters regarding the administration of justice. At this year’s annual meeting,
the Conference of Chief Justices passed a resolution supporting the goal of ensuring 100 percent
access to justice for all those with civil legal needs. It is an issue Chief Justice Thompson
highlighted in both his 2014 and 2015 State of the Judiciary addresses to the Georgia Legislature.
According to the Conference of Chief Justices, U.S. Census Bureau data show that nearly one in
five Americans – 61.8 million people – are eligible for legal aid services, which represents a 21
percent increase since 2007. Among the improvements the Conference cites as goals in its
resolution are increased pro bono legal assistance and legal aid services for low-income people,
as well as enhanced language access services, including interpreters and services for people who
are deaf or hard of hearing.
“I am honored and delighted to have been elected to this prestigious board,” said Chief Justice
Thompson of his election July 29 in Omaha, NE during the Conference’s annual meeting. “I look
forward to working with this nation’s highest judicial leaders and some of the best legal minds in
the country to make our state courts strong and accessible to all who seek justice.”