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William Kuntz
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2022 - Present
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William Francis Kuntz II is a federal judge on senior status with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He was nominated to the court by President Barack Obama. Prior to joining the court, he was a partner at the law firm Baker Hostetler.[1]
Kuntz assumed senior status on January 1, 2022.[1]
Education
Kuntz attended Harvard College and graduated with an A.B. in 1972 and received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1977. He has also earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1974 and 1979, respectively.[2][1]
Professional career
Prior to assuming the bench, Kuntz worked in private practice as an attorney in New York City. He also served as an adjunct associate professor for Brooklyn Law School from 1987 to 2003.[1]
Judicial career
Eastern District of New York (2011-present)
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: William Kuntz |
| Court: Eastern District of New York |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 208 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: 3/9/2011
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: 5/4/2011
|
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
 Reported:
|
| Confirmed: 10/3/2011
|
Kuntz was nominated by President Obama on March 9, 2011, to fill the seat left by Nina Gershon on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.[2]
Kuntz was rated Unanimously Well Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 4, 2011, and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here.[3]
On October 3, 2011, Kuntz was confirmed to the position by a Senate voice vote.[4] He assumed senior status on January 1, 2022.[1]
Noteworthy cases
Unvaccinated students may be kept from school (2014)
In June 2014, Judge Kuntz ruled that a New York City school system policy for restricting unvaccinated children from school when an illness is present is constitutional. Three families challenged the policy, claiming that their right to the free exercise of religion was violated when their children were kept from school. Judge Kuntz disagreed, citing a 1905 Supreme Court opinion as precedent. That case found that the government has the right to regulate public heath, and specifically addressed the right of the government to require vaccinations.[5]
See also
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
External links
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- William Kuntz Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Federal Judicial Center, "Kuntz, William Francis II," accessed January 3, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 White House Press Release, "President Obama Nominates William Francis Kuntz, II to the United States District Court," March 9, 2011
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "112th Congress Nomination Materials," accessed June 9, 2015
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "112th Congress Confirmation Materials," accessed June 9, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Judge Upholds Policy Barring Unvaccinated Students During Illness," June 22, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York 2011-2022 |
Succeeded by Orelia Merchant |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Nominated | |||
