Preceded by Karen Williams Preceded by Clyde Hamilton Appointed by Bill Clinton Name William Traxler, | Preceded by Donald Russell Role Jurist Appointed by George H. W. Bush Succeeded by Margaret B. Seymour | |
Alma mater Davidson College
University of South Carolina, Columbia Education University of South Carolina School of Law, Davidson College | ||
William Byrd Traxler Jr. (born May 1948) is an American jurist who currently serves a Circuit Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
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Early life and education
Traxler was born in Greenville, South Carolina. He earned his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in 1970 and his JD from the University of South Carolina in 1973.
Professional career
WB Traxler Jr. worked in the office of U.S. Army Reserve Adjutant General, 1970–1978. He practiced private law in Greenville, South Carolina from 1973 until 1974 before working as a criminal prosecutor in the Office of the Solicitor for South Carolina's 13th Judicial Circuit from 1975 to 1981. From 1981 until 1985, he served as Solicitor for the 13th Judicial Circuit, where he was the circuit's chief criminal prosecutor. In 1985, Traxler was elected by the General Assembly of South Carolina to be a state circuit court judge, where he served until becoming a federal judge in 1992.
Federal judicial service
Traxler was nominated to the federal bench by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina vacated by Clyde H. Hamilton. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 27, 1992, and received his commission on March 2, 1992.
Traxler presided over a significant case Hall vs. Marion School District 2, 1994. Judge Traxler ruled in favor of the defendant in this important case stating that Mullins District 2 acted illegally in firing a teacher for exercising free speech in criticizing her superintendent and school board. The school district appealed the case to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and became one of the most important First Amendment cases to come down from the 4th Circuit in over a decade.
On July 10, 1998, President Bill Clinton nominated Traxler to the Fourth Circuit to replace Judge Donald Stuart Russell, who had died on February 22, 1998. The Senate confirmed Traxler on voice vote on September 28, 1998.
On the retirement of Chief Judge Karen Williams in July 2009, Traxler became the Chief Judge of the circuit. While continuing to serve as Chief Judge, Traxler joined the Charleston School of Law as a distinguished visiting professor of law in 2009.
In February 2013, Chief Justice John Roberts named Traxler the chair of the executive committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States.
Traxler's term as Chief Judge ended on July 8, 2016 and he was succeeded by Judge Roger Gregory.