Michael B. Thornton
Michael B. Thornton is the former Chief Judge of the United States Tax Court.Education
Thornton graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern Mississippi with a B.S. in Accounting in 1976. In 1977, he graduated from the same school with a M.S. in Accounting. In 1979, he graduated with a M.A. in English literature from the University of Tennessee. In 1982, he graduated with distinction with a J.D. degree from Duke University School of Law, where he served on the Duke Law Journal'', and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. He served as law clerk to Charles Clark, Chief Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 1983-1984.
Thornton was appointed by President Bill Clinton as Judge, United States Tax Court, on March 8, 1998 for a fifteen-year term ending March 7, 2013. He has served as Chief Judge since 2012. He was subsequently renominated by President Barack Obama on May 9, 2013 for an additional fifteen-year term, which was confirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2013.Accomplishments and employment
- Practiced law as an Associate attorney, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, Washington, D.C., summer 1981, and 1982–1983
- Miller & Chevalier, Washington, D.C., 1985–1988
- Served as Tax Counsel, United States House Committee on Ways and Means, 1988–1993
- Chief Minority Tax Counsel, United States House Committee on Ways and Means, January 1995
- Attorney-Adviser, United States Department of the Treasury, February–April 1995
- Deputy Tax Legislative Counsel in the Office of Tax Policy, United States Department of the Treasury, April 1995-February 1998
- Recipient of Treasury Secretary's Annual Award, United States Department of the Treasury, 1997
- Meritorious Service Award, United States Department of the Treasury, 1998
