William S. Stickman IV
William Shaw Stickman IV (born 1979) is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Education. Stickman earned his Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, and his Juris Doctor from Duquesne University. He was a member of the "Duquesne Law Review" during law school. Legal career. Early in his career, Stickman served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Ralph Cappy of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He was a partner with Del Sole Cavanaugh Stroyd LLC, where his practice focused on commercial litigation and appellate matters . From 2011 to 2017, he served on the Pennsylvania Civil Procedural Rules Committee. Federal judicial service. On May 3, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Stickman to serve as a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. On May 13, 2019, President Trump nominated Stickman to the seat vacated by Judge Joy Flowers Conti, who took senior status on December 6, 2018. On June 5, 2019, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. On June 27, 2019, his nomination was reported out of  committee by a 12–10 vote. On July 30, 2019, the Senate voted 57–31 to invoke cloture on his nomination. On July 31, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a vote of 56–34. He received his judicial commission on August 5, 2019. Notable ruling. On September 14, 2020, Stickman ruled that the stay at home order issued by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf amidst the coronavirus pandemic was unconstitutional, violating the right to freedom of assembly guaranteed by the First Amendment. The Wolf administration filed an appeal for a stay of the ruling. On October 1, 2020, Stickman's ruling was stayed  by the Third Circuit, pending appeal.