{ "id": "ep58ew8f8r", "slug": "william-s-stickman-iv", "title": "William S. Stickman IV", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "label": "Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "label": "Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy" } ] } ], "excerpt": "William Shaw Stickman, IV, born 1979, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania since 2019.", "snippet": "William Shaw Stickman, IV, born 1979, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania since 2019.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "markdown": "# William S. Stickman IV\n\nWilliam Shaw Stickman, IV (born 1979)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania since 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) He was appointed by President Donald J. Trump and received his commission on August 5, 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) He is the 62nd commissioned judge of the court.[2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) |\n| Confirmed | July 31, 2019 (Senate voted 56 to 34)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1160258) |\n| Born | 1979 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) |\n| Education | B.A., Duquesne University, 2002; J.D., Duquesne University School of Law, 2005[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nStickman was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1979 and grew up in the city's [Mount Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/mount-washington) neighborhood.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) • [2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge) He graduated as valedictorian from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School.[2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge)\n\nHe attended [Duquesne University](https://www.edgepedia.org/duquesne-university), where he majored in the classics and ancient languages.[2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge) He received his [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree in 2002, summa cum laude, and was awarded the McAnulty College of Liberal Arts' General Excellence Award.[2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge) He then attended Duquesne University School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review, and graduated in 2005.[2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge)\n\n## Legal career\n\nStickman began his legal career in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 2005 to 2006, as a litigation associate in the [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh) offices of Reed Smith LLP.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) • [2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge) From 2006 to 2007 he served as a law clerk to Judge Ralph J. Cappy of the [Supreme Court of Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-pennsylvania).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) • [2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge)\n\nHe returned to private practice in Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2019, first as an associate and later as a partner at the litigation boutique firm Del Sole Cavanaugh Stroyd LLC.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) • [2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge) In practice, he represented a diverse array of clients in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout the United States.[2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge) In 2007 he also served as adjunct faculty in the Department of Classics at Duquesne University.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721)\n\nIn 2011 the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania appointed Stickman to the Pennsylvania Civil Procedural Rules Committee, a panel of lawyers and judges charged with aiding the Court in reviewing and revising Pennsylvania's Rules of Civil Procedure, and in 2015 the Court appointed him chair of the committee.[2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge) He is the author of a peer-reviewed publication on the ancient King's Bench jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and has served as a frequent guest lecturer on topics relating to legal procedure and history.[2](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nStickman was nominated to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania by President Donald J. Trump on May 13, 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) The Senate confirmed the nomination on July 31, 2019, by a vote of 56 to 34.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1160258) He received his commission on August 5, 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: William Shaw Stickman, IV](https://www.fjc.gov/node/6840721)\n2. [William S. Stickman IV, District Judge | Western District of Pennsylvania](https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/content/william-s-stickman-iv-district-judge)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote, July 31, 2019](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1160258)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames Se to Sy*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/william-s-stickman-iv", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/william-s-stickman-iv.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"William S. Stickman IV\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/william-s-stickman-iv. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[William S. Stickman IV](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-s-stickman-iv)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/william-s-stickman-iv](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-s-stickman-iv). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"William S. Stickman IV\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/william-s-stickman-iv. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "William Shaw Stickman, IV, born 1979, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania since 2019." }