William Lindsay Osteen Jr.

"William Osteen" and "William Lindsay Osteen" redirect here. For his father who was also a U.S. federal judge, see William Lindsay Osteen Sr.

William Lindsay Osteen Jr.
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
In office November 1, 2012 – November 3, 2017
Preceded by	James A. Beaty, Jr.
Succeeded by	Thomas D. Schroeder
Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
Incumbent
Assumed office September 19, 2007
Appointed by	George W. Bush
Preceded by	William Lindsay Osteen Sr.
Personal details
Born	(1960-08-08) August 8, 1960 Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Education	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BS, JD)

William Lindsay Osteen Jr. (born August 8, 1960) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Education and career

Osteen was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1983. He received a Juris Doctor from University of North Carolina School of Law in 1987. He was in private practice of law in Greensboro from 1987 to 2007.

Federal judicial service

Osteen was nominated by President George W. Bush on January 9, 2007 to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. He was nominated to the seat vacated by his father, Judge William Lindsay Osteen Sr. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 10, 2007, and received his commission on September 19, 2007. He served as chief judge from November 1, 2012 to November 3, 2017.

Notable ruling

He struck down North Carolina's 'life of the mother only' 20-week abortion ban in March 2019. His judgement pushed the date of which abortions could be performed to the date of viability, which is later for many women. However, Osteen reinstated the NC 20-week abortion ban, with exceptions for urgent medical emergencies, after the June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade which erased the legal foundation for his 2019 ruling that had struck down the 1973 state law. Judge Osteen stated “Neither this court, nor the public, nor counsel, nor providers have the right to ignore the rule of law as determined by the Supreme Court."

Sources

• William Lindsay Osteen Jr. at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.