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Dwyer, William L. (1929-2002)

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William L. "Bill" Dwyer's career as a litigator and a judge in Washington spanned more than 40 years. His work ranged from civil liberties and environmental issues to professional sports franchises.

Growing up During the Depression

Dwyer grew up on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, and was raised by his mother, a stenographer, after she and his truck driver father divorced. In high school, college (University of Washington), and law school he held jobs as a dishwasher, cab driver, waiter, and copyboy at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. At the Post-Intelligencer he got along well with the reporters and later in life journalists, including the columnist Emmett Watson, were among his closest friends. He attended the University of Washington School of Law but earned his law degree from New York University.

In a 1986 interview he said that his mother, "told me the important things had nothing to do with material success, and she hoped I'd get an education." He went on to say, "What early life taught me, I guess, was the lesson that what we call ordinary people -- people who are not wealthy, powerful, well-educated -- are entitled to just as much dignity and respect and certainly earn as much affection as anybody else. Often more so" (The Seattle Times, 2002).

As a trial lawyer in 1964, Dwyer represented Sally and John Goldmark who successfully sued for libel political opponents who had accused John of being a Communist. John Goldmark had been a state legislator and was defeated in a reelection bid.

In 1970, Dwyer sued Major League Baseball on behalf of Seattle and King County, resulting in the Seattle Mariners coming to the Kingdome.

On the Federal Bench

Dwyer was appointed as a U.S. District Court Judge in on December 1, 1987, by Republican President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) on the nomination of Republican Senators Slade Gorton and Dan Evans. This was something of a surprise since Dwyer was Democrat and a civil libertarian. Conservatives battled the confirmation in the Senate for 20 months.

On the Federal bench, Dwyer handed down numerous important rulings including barring timber sales in the habitat of the endangered spotted owl, and holding that Washington State's civil commitment of sex predators was unconstitutional. He also presided over the Federal government's first homicide trial involving drug tampering.

In 1990, Dwyer ruled that the political structure of the Metro council was unconstitutional under the one-person, one-vote principle. His decision led to a restructuring of King County government and the creation of the Metropolitan King County Council.

In 1995, he helped settle the intellectual property rights issues over the music of Jimi Hendrix.

William Dwyer, Author

In 1984, Dwyer wrote The Goldmark Case: An American Libel Trial. In 2002, he published In the Hands of the People : The Trial Jury's Origins, Triumphs, Troubles, and Future in American Democracy, a defense of the U.S. jury system.

In 1997, Dwyer was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. On December 1, 1999, he assumed the status of Senior Judge with a reduced schedule. In March 2001, he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

William Dwyer died in his home in downtown Seattle on February 12, 2002. His survivors include his wife Vasiliki, three grown children, Joanna Tiffany, Tony Dwyer, and Charlie Dwyer, and five grandchildren.

Sources:
Steve Militich, "Judge Dwyer Reveals Plan to Retire Next Year," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 8, 1997, p. A-1; Barbara A. Serrano, "Pechman is Choice to Replace Judge Dwyer," The Seattle Times, January 7, 1999, p. A-1; Sarah Duran, "Dwyer Diagnosed with Lung Cancer," The News Tribune (Tacoma), May 4, 2001, p. B-1; Cynthia Flash, "Federal Judge Dwyer to Retire in 1998," Ibid., October 9, 1997, p. B-9; William L. Dwyer, The Goldmark Case: An American Libel Trial, (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1984); Neil Modie and Candace Heckman, "Federal Judge Dwyer Dies at 72," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 13, 2002 (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local); Steve Miletich, "Judge William Dwyer Dies, The Seattle Times, February 13, 2002 (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com /html/localnews).
Note: This essay was corrected on March 21, 2008.

By David Wilma, March 02, 2003

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