William Skretny
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William M. Skretny is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. He joined the court in 1990 after being nominated by President George H.W. Bush.
Education
Skretny graduated from Canisius with his Bachelor's degree in 1966 and later graduated from Howard Law with his J.D. Degree in 1969 and also graduated with a Master of Laws Degree fromn Northwestern Law in 1972 and also served as a Fellow for the Ford Foundation[1].
Legal career
Skretny began his legal career with the U.S. Attorney's Office as Assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois from 1971 to 1973 and for the Western District of New York from 1973 to 1975 before being promoted to the First assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of New York from 1975 to 1981 and also served as Special counsel for the United States Attorney General's Advocacy Institute in 1979 and as a Staff attorney in the Office of Special Prosecutor for the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC in 1980. Skretny later became a private practice attorney licensed in New York State from 1981 to 1983 and became First deputy district attorney for Erie County from 1983 to 1988 before resuming private practice, Buffalo work from 1988 to 1990[1].
Federal judicial career
On the recommendation of U.S. Senator Al D'Amato, Skretny was nominated by President George Bush on June 12, 1990 to a seat vacated by John Curtin as Curtin assumed senior status. Skretny was confirmed by the Senate on August 3, 1990 on unanimous consent of the Senate and received commission on August 7, 1990[2].
Notable cases
Prison overcrowding
Judge Skretny is presiding in a case involving prison overcrowding in the holding cells of the Erie County detention facility. The Justice Department is suing Erie County over inadequate protection over sexual abuse, and inadequate medical and mental health treatment. Erie County attorneys wanted to dismiss the case, [3] but the judge did not dismiss the claims over the Department of Justice wanting to inspect the holding cell facilities[4].
The judge ruled on March 17, 2010 that an Erie County Attorney and their support staff cannot sit in when the U.S. Department of Justice interviews inmates over mental health services in the holding cell. The judge felt that inmates required to be interviewed in the holding cell in the presence of county prosecutors would make it harder for inmates to come forward with important information. As part of the ruling, the judge also ordered the county to allow the United States Department of Justice to again examine the holding cell[4].
- CLICK HERE for a copy of the March 17, 2010 ruling from Judge Skretny.
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "FJC.gov" Judge Skretny's biography at the Federal Judicial Center, May 12, 2009
- ↑ "THOMAS" Nomination of William Skretny, May 12, 2009Search for William Skretny
- ↑ "Buffalo News" Accusations about jails ‘run the gamut,’ judge says, December 17, 2009
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Buffalo News "Judge rules against county on inmate interviews at Holding Center", March 18, 2010
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