Senators Had Recommended Conley to Fill the Vacancy on the United States District Court

Washington, D.C. – The United State Senate today confirmed William Conley to fill a vacant seat on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold announced.  The vote was 99 to 0 to confirm Conley to replace Judge Barbara Crabb, who retired after more than 30 years of service on the court.   

“When considering nominees to lifetime appointments for the federal courts, we must satisfy ourselves that these nominees have substantial legal experience, are learned in the law, have the respect of their peers, and, most important of all, will be fair minded and do justice without predisposition or bias.  William Conley’s experience and qualifications convinces me that he well-exceeds these requirements.   I am confident that Bill Conley will be a federal judge we can be proud of and that he will serve the people of Wisconsin well,” Kohl said.

“With the Senate’s confirmation of William Conley, the Western District of Wisconsin will gain an outstanding federal judge.  William Conley’s impressive legal credentials and his 25 years of experience in private practice make him well qualified for this position.  Once again, Wisconsin’s collaborative process of judicial selection has produced a fine nominee who will serve our state and the country well,” Feingold said. 

Conley’s nomination was the result of the work of the non-partisan Wisconsin Federal Judicial Nominating Commission.  For the past 30 years, the Senators from Wisconsin, regardless of party, have used the nominating commission to select candidates for the federal bench.  In addition, the American Bar Association deemed Conley to be “unanimously well-qualified” and the Senate Judiciary Committee approved his nomination without dissent on December 10, 2009.