# William F. Nielsen

William Fremming Nielsen (born 1934) is an American jurist He assumed inactive senior status (semi-retired federal judgeship allowing reduced caseload) on May 30, 2003, and no longer actively serves on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> He was appointed by President George H. W. Bush in 1991. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> He served as chief judge of the court from 1995 to 2000. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup>

| Fact | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> |
| Appointed by | George H.W. Bush <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> |
| Confirmed | May 9, 1991 (voice vote) <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> |
| Senior status | May 30, 2003 <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> |
| Born | 1934, Seattle, Washington <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> |
| Education | B.A., University of Washington, 1956; LL.B., University of Washington School of Law, 1962 <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> |

## Early life and education

Nielsen was born in 1934 in Seattle, Washington. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> He earned a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from the University of Washington in 1956 and a [Bachelor of Laws](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-laws) degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 1962. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup>

## Legal career

Nielsen served in the [United States Air Force](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-air-force) as a first lieutenant from 1956 to 1959. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> After law school, he clerked for Judge Charles L. Powell of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington from 1963 to 1964. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> He then engaged in private practice in [Spokane, Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/spokane-washington), from 1964 until his appointment to the federal bench in 1991. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup>

## Federal judicial service

President George H.W. Bush nominated Nielsen to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington on March 21, 1991. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on May 9, 1991, and he received his commission on May 14, 1991. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> He served as chief judge of the district from 1995 to 2000. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup> He assumed senior status on May 30, 2003. <sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)</sup>

## Notable cases

Nielsen authored 22 published opinions for the Eastern District of Washington between 1992 and 2007, according to a compilation of published opinions in the CourtListener corpus. <sup>[2](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/william-nielsen)</sup> His most-cited opinion in that compilation was *Auvil v. CBS*, which drew 42 inbound citations across the corpus. <sup>[2](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/william-nielsen)</sup>

The same compilation reports that 50 of Nielsen's decisions were reviewed on the merits by the [United States courts of appeals](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-courts-of-appeals), of which 40 were affirmed, 8 were reversed or vacated, and 2 were affirmed in part and reversed in part. <sup>[2](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/william-nielsen)</sup> The compilation notes that this is a historical count of appellate outcomes for cases it could match, not a judgment of the judge and not a complete record. <sup>[2](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/william-nielsen)</sup>

## References

1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges, Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385736)
2. [William Fremming Nielsen, JudicialFinder](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/william-nielsen)

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*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 N to P*

*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license