Judge Thomas Leslie Hughston, Jr. was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on July 25, 1943. He is the son of T. Leslie Hughston, Professional Engineer, and Eunice Poole Hughston, Legal Secretary and Homemaker. Both parents are deceased.

After moving to Greenwood in 1950, Judge Hughston attended the public schools and graduated from Greenwood High where he served as student body president. Activities were football, basketball and track, and included playing on the 1959 Greenwood Emeralds team coached by J.W. "Pinky" Babb that were State Champions and undefeated.

Judge Hughston graduated from The Citadel in 1965 with a B.A. in Political Science. He was Company Executive Officer, a member of the Honor Court and The Summerall Guards. Thereafter, he graduated from the University of South Carolina Law School in 1968.

After returning to Greenwood, he practiced with W.H. Nicholson, Jr., Thurmond Bishop, and Mary G. Daniel. Also, he worked at various times as a Judge for the City of Greenwood and as the Public Defender for Greenwood and Abbeville Counties. He has been active in many religious, educational, civic and charitable organizations including the Board of Directors of the Alston Wilkes Society. He officiated high school and college football for 30 years.

Judge Hughston served in the S.C. House of Representatives (1977-1985) and was a member and vice-chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Also, he was a member of the original Sentencing Guidelines Commission. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the S.C. Municipal Association (1981).

Following the death of Judge Francis B. Nicholson, he was elected as Resident Circuit Judge, Eighth Judicial Circuit on February 20, 1985, and served until he retired on June 30, 1998. He continues to work as a Retired but Active Circuit Judge.

He has completed many courses at the National Judicial College and all required course work for a Master of Judicial Studies Degree from the University of Nevada – Reno. He lacks completing a thesis.

He is married to Mary Anne McLean, formerly of Anderson and Spartanburg, S.C. He has three children, Karen, Greer, and Mary Leslie. The Hughstons have homes in Greenwood and Charleston. They are members of the Unitarian Church in Charleston.