William M. Skretny at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
- Jurisdiction
- New York · Federal
- Judicial service
- August 7, 1990–present
William M. Skretny
Judge · U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
Available research
Loading public docket analytics…
Loading public docket analytics…
Biography
Professional career
- Assistant U.S. attorney, Western District of New York, 1973-1981; first assistant U.S. attorney, 1975-1981
- Professional Career: Member, Judicial Conference of the United States, 2013-2016
- Professional Career: Private practice, Buffalo, New York, 1981-1983, 1988-1990
- Professional Career: Staff attorney, Office of Special Prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice, 1980
- Professional Career: First deputy district attorney, Erie County, New York, 1983-1988
- Professional Career: Special counsel, Attorney General's Advocacy Institute, Washington, D.C., 1979
- Private practice, Buffalo, NY, 1988-1990
- First deputy district attorney, Erie County, NY, 1983-1988
- Private practice, Buffalo, NY, 1981-1983
- Staff attorney, Office of Special Prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice, 1980-present
- Special counsel, Attorney General's Advocacy Institute, Washington, D.C., 1979-present
- first assistant U.S. attorney, 1975-1981
- Assistant U.S. attorney, Northern District of Illinois, 1971-1973
Judicial service
- Judge, District Court, W.D. New York, 1990-2015
Education
- Canisius College · A.B., 1966
- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
- Howard University School of Law · J.D., 1969
- Northwestern University School of Law (now Pritzker School of Law) · LL.M., 1972
Personal record
Born 1945 · Buffalo, NY
Courtroom rules and guidance
Civil Remote Testimony
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Criminal Recording And Broadcasting
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked July 25, 2026
https://www.fjc.gov/node/1387901CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2991/william-m-skretny/Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedureFederal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts