William M. Conley

On October 29, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Conley to serve on the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin[1] to fill the vacancy created by Judge Barbara Brandriff Crabb's announcement in March 2009 that she would take senior status.[3][4] On December 10, 2009 the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary forwarded his nomination to the full United States Senate. Conley was unanimously confirmed, 99–0 on March 4, 2010. He received his commission on March 25, 2010. He served as Chief Judge from March 25, 2010 to April 26, 2017.[2]

On March 10, 2017, Conley granted a request blocking President Donald Trump's administration from enforcing its newly revised travel ban against a Syrian family from the city of Aleppo, saying that daily threats against the man's wife and child could cause "irreparable harm". The ruling was the first of its kind since the roll out of the second executive order. A federal lawsuit had originally been filed in February against the first travel ban but was set aside by Conley after the ban was blocked. A new complaint filed after the issuance of the second order maintained the revised ban still infringed upon the man's freedom of religion and right to due process.[5]

On April 2, 2020, Conley declined to postpone the 2020 Wisconsin Democratic primary despite arguments that the COVID-19 pandemic created a health risk for in-person voters. He concluded that power lay with Wisconsin's executive and legislative branches, writing “As much as the court would prefer that the Wisconsin Legislature and Governor consider the public health ahead of any political considerations, that does not appear in the cards. Nor is it appropriate for a federal district court to act as the state’s chief health official by taking that step for them."[6]

On September 21, 2020, Conley extended the deadline for Wisconsin voters to submit an absentee ballot for the 2020 presidential election to six days after election day, as long as the ballot was mailed and postmarked on or before election day. Conley ruled that the COVID-19 pandemic would cause more voters to vote by absentee ballot, causing delays and confusion. Conley immediately stayed his ruling for one week so parties could appeal.[7]