William B. Traxler Jr.
How Judge Traxler rules, drawn from 48 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Traxler
William Byrd Traxler, Jr. is a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Appointed by President William J. Clinton, Judge Traxler received a commission on October 1, 1998. Judge Traxler previously served on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, commissioned there on March 2, 1992. Judge Traxler assumed senior status on August 31, 2018.
Judge Traxler's practices and standing orders
The court's website lists no individual practices or standing orders of Judge Traxler's own (checked October 11, 2026), so the court's local rules and general orders are the place to look (court page ↗).
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 11, 2026).
How Judge Traxler decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In United States v. Crabtree, he held that § 2515 did not allow an exception to its exclusionary rule when the government was uninvolved in the illegal interception.
“We agree with the majority and conclude that § 2515 does not permit an exception to its exclusionary rule in cases where the government was not involved in illegal interception.”
Under the categorical approach, he applies the governing definition as written rather than reshaping it around the facts or a party's preferred formulation.
“Of course, we must apply the definition as written, not as Walker wishes it were written.”
In North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality v. FERC, Traxler found that the agency had not grappled with substantial evidence that McMahan independently withdrew and resubmitted its applications.
“FERC, however, never grappled with this significant quantity of evidence showing that McMahan acted independently when withdrawing and resubmitting its applications.”
Procedural preferences
In United States v. Fancher, he vacated a sentence because the district court had not given advance notice that it was considering an above-Guidelines sentence.
“We conclude that the district court did not provide sufficient notice that it was considering an above-Guidelines sentence, and we therefore vacate Fancher’s sentence and remand for re-sentencing.”
In Wendt v. Leonard, he limited Rule 60(b)(4) relief for lack of jurisdiction to cases with no arguable jurisdictional basis.
“A court plainly usurps jurisdiction ‘only when there is a `total want of jurisdiction' and no arguable basis on which it could have rested a finding that it had jurisdiction.’”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“Accordingly, for the foregoing reasons, the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Cyanamid is hereby affirmed.”
“Because we conclude that there was such an arguable basis, we affirm.”
“Because the district court did not abuse its discretion by dismissing Michau's complaints under 28 U.S.C.A. § 1915(e)(2)(B), the court's error in treating Michau as a prisoner within the meaning of the PLRA is harmless. Accordingly, we hereby affirm the decision of the district court.”
“Because Payne waived any right she may have had to insist that all defendants join in the removal, and because the district court did not abuse its discretion by making its dismissal without prejudice or by setting aside the entries of default, we affirm.”
“We therefore grant Green’s motion for leave to proceed without pre-payment of fees.”
“Accordingly, we are constrained to conclude that the district court made a clear error of law and consequently abused its discretion in denying the motion to alter or amend. For these reasons, we hereby reverse the district court’s decision and remand the case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”
“PETITION FOR REVIEW DENIED”
“Accordingly, we hereby vacate Fancher's sentence and remand for a new sentencing hearing.”
“VACATED AND REMANDED”
“We therefore reverse the district court’s conditional grant of a habeas writ and remand to the district court for entry of judgment in favor of the government.”
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