William M. Skretny

Born in Buffalo, New York, Skretny received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Canisius College in 1966, a Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law in 1969, and a Master of Laws from Northwestern University School of Law in 1972. He was a Fellow at the Ford Foundation. He was an Assistant United States Attorney of the Northern District of Illinois from 1971 to 1973. He was an Assistant United States Attorney of the Western District of New York from 1973 to 1975. He was a First Assistant United States Attorney of Western District of New York from 1975 to 1981. He was a Special counsel for the Attorney General's Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C. in 1979. He was a staff attorney of Office of Special Prosecutor of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. in 1980. He was in private practice in Buffalo from 1981 to 1983. He was a first deputy district attorney of Erie County, New York from 1983 to 1988. He was in private practice in Buffalo from 1988 to 1990.[2]

Skretny was nominated by President George H. W. Bush on June 12, 1990, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of New York vacated by Judge John Thomas Curtin. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 3, 1990, and received his commission on August 7, 1990. He served as Chief Judge from 2010 to 2015. He assumed senior status on March 8, 2015.[2]

He is perhaps best known for his role in what was deemed "the flagrant violation of [Joseph] Tigano’s Sixth Amendment rights" when he repeatedly refused to allow Tigano the right to a speedy trial.[3] The case was later overturned, with prejudice, by the Second Court of Appeals after Skretny retired.[4]

He is of Polish descent, and he and both his parents were active members of the Pulaski Association.[5]

• William M. Skretny at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.