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Thomas "Tom" Stewart

Tom Stewart was a member of Alaska’s Territorial House of Representatives, was secretary for the Alaska Constitutional Convention in 1955/56, and served as a state senator in the first Alaska Legislature following statehood. He served as Administrative Director of the Alaska Court System in the early 1960’s and on the Juneau Superior Court bench from 1966 until his retirement in 1981. After retirement, he remained active in the legal and judicial community, where he was often called upon to explain the Alaska Constitution’s Judiciary Article and the importance of judicial independence. In 2009, the new annex of the State Capitol building was named the Thomas B. Stewart Legislative Office Building to honor his contributions to the state. Judge Stewart passed away in 2007. In addition to the interview with Tom Stewart in the Judges of Alaska Project Jukebox by Margaret Russell, he also was interviewed on April 22, 1982 by Pamela Cravez where he discusses other parts of his life and career. This interview is available at the Joint Archives of the Alaska Court System and the Alaska Bar Association, Alaska State Court Law Library, Boney Courthouse, Anchorage, Alaska (907) 264-0585/(888) 282-2082 and at the Oral History Collection, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks, (907) 474-6773. Tom Stewart also participated in the Juneau Communities of Memory Project on November 17 & 18, 1995. Tom passed away in 2007 at the age of 88. For more about Tom Stewart, see an article about him in the Juneau Empire newspaper, an article about him and his role in Alaska statehood, or a 2009 Alaska Bar Association presentation.

Date of Birth:

Jan 1, 1919

Date of Death:

Dec 12, 2007

Thomas "Tom" Stewart appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

Judge Thomas Stewart's Slideshow

Interview Title	Abstract	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Date of Interview
Judge Tom Stewart, Interview 1	Judge Tom Stewart was interviewed on September 20, 2002 by Margaret Russell in Anchorage, Alaska. Tom Stewart was a member of Alaska’s Territorial House of Representatives, was secretary for the Alaska Constitutional Convention in 1955/56, and served as a state senator in the first Alaska Legislature following statehood. He served as Administrative Director of the Alaska Court System in the early 1960’s and on the Juneau Superior Court bench from 1966 until his retirement in 1981. In this interview, Jusdge Stewart talks about his early years as an attorney, the Alaska Constitutional Convention, the judiciary article in the constitution, being a superior court judge, serving on public commissions, and some of the major cases he handled. Judge Stewart was also interviewed by Margaret Russell on October 25, 2002 in Anchorage, Alaska (tape numbers Oral History 2012-02-13, Parts 1 &2). Judge Stewart also was interviewed on April 22, 1982 by Pamela Cravez where he discusses other parts of his life and career. This interview is available at the Joint Archives of the Alaska Court System and the Alaska Bar Association, Alaska State Court Law Library, Boney Courthouse, Anchorage, Alaska (907) 264-0585/(888) 282-2082 and at the Oral History Collection, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks, (907) 474-6773.	2012-02-12	Judges of Alaska	Sep 20, 2002
Judge Tom Stewart, Interview 2, Part 1	Judge Tom Stewart was interviewed on October 25, 2002 by Margaret Russell in Anchorage, Alaska. In this interview, he talks about the Alaska Constitutional Convention and delegates, establishment of the state court and judge appointment systems, selection of the state’s first judges, the Boundary Commission, natural resource article in the constitution, amending the constitution, and Alaska statehood and the Alaska/Tennessee Plan, serving in the Alaska State Senate, establishment of the Judicial Council, establishment of the state’s first superior and supreme courts, the Alaska Court/Alaska Bar Association fight, serving as court administrator, and some of the early judges he worked with. Judge Stewart was also interviewed by Margaret Russell on September 20, 2002 in Anchorage, Alaska (tape number Oral History 2012-02-12).	2012-02-13_PT.1	Judges of Alaska	Oct 25, 2002
Judge Tom Stewart, Interview 2, Part 2	This is a continuation of the interview with Judge Tom Stewart on October 25, 2002 by Margaret Russell in Anchorage, Alaska. This is a continuation of tape number Oral History 2012-02-13, Part 1. Judge Stewart was also interviewed by Margaret Russell on September 20, 2002 in Anchorage, Alaska (tape number Oral History 2012-02-12). In this part of the interview, Judge Stewart talks about Alaska Statehood, setting up the state's first court system, selection of judges, and the Alaska Court/Bar Association fight.	2012-02-13_PT.2	Judges of Alaska	Oct 25, 2002
Thomas Stewart	Thomas Stewart talks about the community gatherings on Marmion Island and the 4th of July celebration. He also tells a story about a young man who made a wager with the 4th of July committee that he could run up and down Mt. Juneau in one hour.	2010-06	Juneau Communities of Memory	Nov 17, 1995