Governor Thomas Lee Judge

THOMAS LEE JUDGE was born October 12, 1934, in Helena, Montana. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1957 from the University of Notre Dame. He attended the University of Louisville Graduate School of Business from 1958 to 1960, and he graduated from the Adjutant General School, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. Judge served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and captain in the U.S. Army Adjutant General Corps. He became president and owner of a public relations and advertising firm in 1960. He served in the Montana House of Representatives from 1961 to 1966, the state senate from 1966 to 1968, and as Lieutenant Governor of Montana from 1968 to 1972. Judge was elected Governor of Montana in 1972 and reelected in 1976. The Judge administration worked closely with the legislature to implement environmental protection policies including the Montana Environmental Policy Act, and the Major Facility Siting Act. Governor Judge also signed the Coal Severance Tax into law in 1975. During his tenure, Governor Judge served on the Executive Committee of the National Governors’ Association and was Chair of the Western Governors’ Conference.