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David R. Thompson

AKA David Renwick Thompson

Born: 26-Dec-1930
Birthplace: San Diego, CA
Died: 19-Feb-2011
Location of death: San Diego, CA
Cause of death: Illness
Remains: Buried, Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary, San Diego, CA

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Judge

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1985-2011

Military service: US Navy (1955-57)

Federal judge, appointed to the bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1985. Best known for a 1989 decision which set the standard for deliberate indifference in police conduct. In the case, Wood v. Ostrander, a woman had been cited for drunk driving and had her car keys confiscated by police, who then left her alone and without access to her vehicle at 2:30 AM in a high-crime neighborhood, where she was raped. The judge overturned a lower court ruling, and held that in such cases of deliberate indifference, police officers and departments can be sued for liability.

Officially retired 1998, but continued carrying a substantial workload of 9th Circuit Court cases until his death in 2011.

Father: Gordon Thompson (county judge)
Mother: Garnet
Brother: Gordon Thompson, Jr. (federal judge)
Wife: Arna Loree Newton (b. 1932, m. 1955, d. 2010, one daughter, two sons)
Daughter: Carolyn Thompson Kelly (attorney)
Son: Adam
Son: Daniel

    High School: Point Loma High School (1948)
    University: BS Business, University of Southern California (1952)
    Law School: LLB, University of Southern California Law School (1955)

    US Appeals Court Judge, 9th Circuit (1985-2011)
    Thompson & Thompson Partner (1957-85)
    American Arbitration Association
    American Bar Association
    American Board of Trial Advocates
    Delta Chi Fraternity
    Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
    San Diego County Bar Association
    State Bar of California 1956






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