James Thomas Jones (born May 13, 1942) is an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as the chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court and a former Attorney General of Idaho.
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Early life and education
Born in Twin Falls, Idaho, Jones was raised on a farm near Eden, Idaho. He graduated from Valley High School in 1960. He attended Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho, for a year and transferred to the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, graduating in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He also received a commission as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Jones then earned a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1967.
Career
He served as an artillery officer in the U.S. Army in Vietnam in the late 1960s and received several decorations, including the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star.
Jones served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Len Jordan in the early 1970s. Afterwards he practiced law in Jerome and Boise.
Jones entered politics in 1978 as a candidate for Congress from the state's 2nd district. By a 56% to 44% margin, he was defeated in the Republican primary by incumbent George Hansen, and lost again in the 1980 primary to Hansen, who this time won 58%.