Thomas Poole Griesa (1930-2017) was a prominent American jurist who served as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York from 1972 until his death in 2017. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, he graduated from Harvard College in 1951 with an A.B. degree and from Harvard Law School in 1954 with a J.D. After a brief period in private practice, Griesa was nominated by President Richard Nixon in 1971 and confirmed by the Senate in 1972 to the federal bench. He ascended to Chief Judge of the Southern District from 1993 to 2000, overseeing one of the busiest and most influential federal courts in the United States, handling cases involving major financial, corporate, and international disputes. Griesa was best known for presiding over high-profile litigation, including the decade-long sovereign debt case brought by Elliott Management against Argentina, where he ruled in favor of the hedge fund's claims on defaulted bonds, leading to significant enforcement actions and international controversy. His decisions emphasized strict adherence to contract law and creditor rights, impacting global finance. Throughout his 45-year tenure, Griesa earned a reputation for intellectual rigor and impartiality, though some criticized his rulings in complex financial matters as overly favorable to institutional investors. Griesa lived a private life, never marrying, and focused intensely on his judicial duties in New York City. He passed away on December 24, 2017, at the age of 87, leaving a legacy as a key figure in American jurisprudence during a transformative era for Wall Street and international law.