Fourth Circuit / Appointed 1986 / Served to 2008

William Walter Wilkins

Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 and confirmed by voice vote, William Walter Wilkins was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He earned a law degree from University of South Carolina School of Law in 1967. He previously served on the District of South Carolina.Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, June 13, 1986

Appointed by
Ronald Reagan, 1986
Confirmed
by voice vote
Education
Davidson College 1964 · University of South Carolina Law 1967
Succeeded by
Albert Diaz
Federal judicial service
YearCourtAppointed byVote
1981District of South Carolina · succeeded Robert Witherspoon HemphillReagan (R)voice
1986Fourth Circuit · succeeded Emory Marlin SneedenReagan (R)voice

A per-senator roll-call isn’t shown for this confirmation. The Senate’s recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989; many confirmations (especially before then, and most to the lower courts) were by voice vote or unanimous consent.

Education
Sources

22 years on the Fourth Circuit. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).