U.S. District Judge William Lindsay Osteen Jr. has recently presided over several significant cases, underscoring his influential role in North Carolina’s legal landscape.

 

In a notable First Amendment case, Judge Osteen is overseeing a lawsuit filed by North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls against the state’s Judicial Standards Commission. Justice Earls alleges that the commission’s investigations into her public comments on judicial diversity infringe upon her free speech rights. Judge Osteen criticized both parties for using “inflammatory” language in their filings, emphasizing the need for professionalism and respect in legal proceedings. He granted the commission a 14-day extension to respond to Earls’ motion for a preliminary injunction but denied her request for a status conference, urging both sides to avoid unnecessary rhetoric as the case progresses .

 

In another significant ruling, Judge Osteen reinstated North Carolina’s 20-week abortion ban in August 2022. This decision followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, which had previously provided the legal foundation for Osteen’s 2019 ruling that struck down the state’s abortion law. In his order, Judge Osteen stated that the Supreme Court’s decision removed the basis for his earlier ruling, asserting that neither the court nor the public has the right to disregard the rule of law as determined by the Supreme Court .

Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2007, Judge Osteen has served as a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, succeeding his father in this role. His recent decisions reflect a commitment to upholding constitutional principles and maintaining the integrity of the judicial process.