William Bertelsman Explained

William Bertelsman
Office:	Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
Term Start:	February 1, 2001
Office1:	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
Term Start1:	1991
Term End1:	1998
Predecessor1:	Eugene Edward Siler Jr.
Successor1:	Henry Rupert Wilhoit Jr.
Office2:	Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
Term Start2:	November 27, 1979
Term End2:	February 1, 2001
Appointer2:	Jimmy Carter
Predecessor2:	Seat established by 92 Stat. 1629
Successor2:	David Bunning
Birth Date:	31 January 1936
Birth Place:	Cincinnati, Ohio
Education:	Xavier University (AB) University of Cincinnati (JD)

William Odis Bertelsman (born January 31, 1936) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Education and career

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Bertelsman received an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Xavier University of Ohio in 1958, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1961. He was in private practice in Newport, Kentucky from 1962 to 1979, also serving as a Captain in the United States Army from 1963 to 1964. He was a lecturer for the University of Cincinnati College of Law from 1965 to 1972, and an adjunct professor of law at the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University beginning in 1989.

On October 11, 1979, Bertelsman was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky created by 92 Stat. 1629. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 26, 1979, and received his commission the next day. He served as Chief Judge from 1991 to 1998, assuming senior status on February 1, 2001.

Bertelsman is the assigned judge in the Sandmann v. Washington Post lawsuit.