Gentleman Jurist

By Bob Burke and Eric Dabney 

Judge Ralph Thompson has lived a charmed life—as husband, father, grandfather, Air Force special agent, state legislator, teacher, and nationally-respected federal judge. The grandson of legendary University of Oklahoma President Dr. William Bennett Bizzell, and son of a prominent Oklahoma City lawyer, Judge Thompson’s career on the federal bench has been exemplary.

His reputation as a steadfast protector of the Constitution has brought him in contact with the most respected leaders of our nation. Judge Thompson is a champion of the rule of law and the fair and efficient administration of justice. He is often referred to as a model federal judge and public servant. His even-tempered and courteous treatment of lawyers, parties, witnesses, and jurors is legendary. Anyone who ever appeared before him or observed court proceedings from the gallery would applaud the authors’ choice of the title of this biography, “Gentleman Jurist.”