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Chief Assistant District Attorney Clay Thomas announced his candidacy on Thursday to serve as a District Judge for Alabama’s 37th Judicial Circuit, which covers Lee County.
A conservative and longtime resident of Lee County, Thomas is an experienced prosecutor and litigator dedicated to upholding the rule of law. Clay grew up in Camden, Alabama before graduating from Auburn University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in History in 2004, and the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctorate in 2007.
“I am excited to officially announce my candidacy to serve as a district judge in Lee County,” said Thomas. This seat, currently held by Judge Russell Bush who has announced his retirement, is the highest volume court in the Lee County system. “I will fight tirelessly to protect our constitutional freedoms and defend Alabama’s values on the bench,” Thomas went on to say.
Clay began his career in public service as an Assistant District Attorney in Morgan County, Alabama from 2007 to 2011. Clay transferred to his hometown circuit in 2011, where he prosecuted felonies in both Dallas and Wilcox Counties. In 2012 Clay was offered the position of Assistant District Attorney in Lee County, where he has been raising his family ever since. Clay is a member of Opelika Kiwanis and a lifelong Methodist.
“I have dedicated my career to public service. I have defended, supported, and worked closely with law enforcement to seek justice for victims of crime. I have prosecuted hundreds of cases making our communities safer and more secure. I have fought to protect our constitutional freedoms. I believe in the Constitution and will preserve, protect, and defend it at every turn. I believe deeply in the separation of powers as outlined in the Constitution. Any good judge knows that their primary job is to apply the law as written by the legislature, instead of making laws,” he added.
Clay has been serving in Lee County for more than a decade. In addition to his prosecution responsibilities, Clay has been assigned to the Lee County Drug and Veteran’s Court since 2013, which is dedicated to helping veterans and other citizens deal with their drug addiction issues so they can continue to be productive members of the community.
Clay has tried approximately seventy-five jury trials consisting mostly of violent crimes and sex offenses. He has also tried hundreds of bench trials in the District Court. Because of his success in prosecuting violent criminals, Clay was named the Chief Assistant District Attorney for the Lee County District Attorney’s Office in 2021.
Married with two very active boys, Clay enjoys watching his kids play baseball and soccer, spending time outdoors with his family, listening to music with his wife, and pulling for the Auburn Tigers.
