William D. Keller
Judge Keller no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.
How Judge Keller decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
Rejected a constitutional attack on the 1986 False Claims Act amendments and let the qui tam suit proceed, denying the defense motions to dismiss.
“It is this Court's conclusion that the 1986 amendments to the False Claims Act must survive the defendants' constitutional challenges. ... For this reason, the defendants' motions to dismiss are hereby DENIED.”
Procedural preferences
On habeas petitions, reviews and adopts the magistrate judge's report and recommendation before entering a denial.
“the Court has reviewed the pleadings and other papers herein, the Report and Recommendation of the United States Magistrate Judge, and approves and adopts the Magistrate Judge's findings, conclusions and recommendations.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“It is this Court's conclusion that the 1986 amendments to the False Claims Act must survive the defendants' constitutional challenges. ... For this reason, the defendants' motions to dismiss are hereby DENIED.”
“Accordingly, plaintiffs Motion to Remand and accompanying request for sanctions are DENIED.”
“defendants are GRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT on plaintiffs Sixth Cause of Action pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 56. Plaintiffs Causes of Action Five, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Nineteen (B) and Twenty (B) are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.”
“the Court has reviewed the pleadings and other papers herein, the Report and Recommendation of the United States Magistrate Judge, and approves and adopts the Magistrate Judge's findings, conclusions and recommendations.”
“The motion of the respondents to restrict the petitioner's access to the court is granted.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
His enumerable docket is a 2024 senior-judge slate (filed mid-2024, terminated 2024-2025 before his November 2025 death): pro se prisoner and general habeas, in forma pauperis civil-rights suits against municipalities, a Social Security disability appeal, and commercial signal-piracy collection suits. Durations below are filed-to-terminated for terminated cases in that slate (n=17). The nature-of-suit mix is taken from the case captions where the case-level records were blank. His 1984-1999 active-service caseload predates electronic coverage.
A historical record
Judge Keller no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.