The Hon. Thomas H. Estes (Ret.) was first justice of the Eastern Hampshire District Court in Massachusetts. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Deval Patrick in 2014. Estes resigned from the judiciary in May 2020 amidst allegations of judicial misconduct.
During his tenure on the bench, Estes also presided as an associate justice in the Northampton District Court and the Pittsfield Drug Court.
He received a B.A. in Asian studies and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia in 1990. Estes went on to complete a J.D. at William and Mary School of Law in 1996.
He began his legal career as a patent and trademark litigation attorney at the law firm of Oliff and Berridge, PLC in the City of Alexandria, Virginia before joining the Fairfax County Public Defender’s Office in Fairfax, Virginia in 1998. Estes first began as a deputy public defender there until being named supervising attorney of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
In 2002, after relocating to Massachusetts, Estes became a public defender in the Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services. During his tenure there, he rose through the ranks, being named attorney-in-charge of the Northampton District Court Office in 2006. Estes continued in that position until assuming the District Court bench in 2014.
He held a membership with the Hampshire County Bar Association.
Estes was born in Syracuse, New York.