--- title: "William H. Pauley III | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/william-h-pauley-iii-2520" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-08" --- # William H. Pauley III U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York - State: New York - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-06-30 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, District Court, S.D. New York, 1998-present - deputy county attorney, 1978-present - William H. Pauley III (1952–2021) was a distinguished U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, known for landmark rulings such as ACLU v. - Practiced law in New York City from 1978 to 1998 and was assistant counsel to the New York State Assembly Minority Leader from 1984 to 1998 - Office of the Nassau County New York Attorney, 1977-1978 - law clerk, 1977-1978 - His early career included law clerking for the Nassau County Attorney (1977–78) and serving as Deputy County Attorney (1978) - Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York - The Southern District of New York’s Chief Judge, Laura Taylor Swain, called him “a great judge... and a great friend and colleague” ### Education - Duke University School of Law in — J.D. (1977) - B.A. in History and a J.D. from Duke University in 1974 and 1977, respectively. - Duke University with his bachelor's degree — 1974 ### Additional information - William Henry Pauley III was born August 14, 1952, in Glen Cove, New York, and died July 6, 2021, in East Quogue, NY, at age 68. - Joined the Court in 1998 after being nominated by President Bill Clinton (D). - Private practice, New York City, 1978-1998 - Date of birth: 1952-01-01 - Service: held the role of an active judge for 20 years, then as a senior judge until his death - Birth place: Glen Cove, NY ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### recording and photography Scope: statewide New York statewide rules require permission before photographing, filming, videotaping, audiotaping, broadcasting, or telecasting in court facilities, including courtrooms. Evidence excerpt: Taking photographs, films or videotapes, or audiotaping, broadcasting or telecasting, in a courthouse including any courtroom, office or hallway thereof, at any time or on any occasion, whether or not the court is in session, is forbidden, unless permission of the Chief Administrator of the Courts or a designee of the Chief Administrator is first obtained [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### evidence presentation control Scope: statewide The official Guide to New York Evidence identifies court control over presentation of evidence as a statewide evidence topic; counsel should expect the assigned judge to control the mode and order of proof. Evidence excerpt: 1.07. COURT CONTROL OVER PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE [Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role](https://www.nycourts.gov/judges/evidence/1-GENERAL/1-generalprovisions.shtml) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2520/william-h-pauley-iii/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2520/william-h-pauley-iii/) - [U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2520/william-h-pauley-iii/) - [Part 29: Electronic Recording and Audio-Visual Coverage in Court Facilities and of Court Proceedings](https://www.nycourts.gov/rules/part-29-electronic-recording-and-audio-visual-coverage-court-facilities-and-court-proceedings?from_node=15921&topic=386&wrapped=true) - [Guide to New York Evidence: Article 1, General Provisions and Court's Role](https://www.nycourts.gov/judges/evidence/1-GENERAL/1-generalprovisions.shtml) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2520/william-h-pauley-iii/) - [Pauley, William H. III](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/pauley-william-h-iii) - [William Pauley](https://ballotpedia.org/William_Pauley) - [Wikidata: William H. Pauley III](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8010543) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/william-h-pauley-iii-2520", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/william-h-pauley-iii-2520", "name": "William H. Pauley III | KnowJudges", "description": "William H. Pauley III, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-08", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/william-h-pauley-iii-2520#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/william-h-pauley-iii-2520#judge", "name": "William H. Pauley III", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/william-h-pauley-iii-2520", "jobTitle": "Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2520/william-h-pauley-iii/" ], "birthDate": "1952", "birthPlace": "Glen Cove, NY", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Duke University" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Duke University with his bachelor's degree" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Duke University" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Duke University School of Law in 1977" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Duke University School of Law" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "New York", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/new-york" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William H. Pauley III", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/william-h-pauley-iii-2520" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [SDNY and EDNY — Joint Local Civil and Criminal Rules](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/ny-shared-set-201c11a4597834a9a953) — Federal district-court proceedings only. Civil and criminal sections have distinct scope and district-specific exceptions. Not Bankruptcy Court rules. [Official source](https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/local_rules/2026-01-02%20-%20EDNY%20and%20SDNY%20Joint%20Local%20Rules%20As%20Amended.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.