# Billy Roy Wilson

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For other people named Billy Wilson or William Wilson, see [William Wilson (disambiguation)](/source/William_Wilson_(disambiguation)).

**William Roy Wilson Jr.** (December 18, 1939 – October 27, 2025) was a [United States district judge](/source/United_States_federal_judge) of the [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_Eastern_District_of_Arkansas).

## Education and career

Born in [Little Rock](/source/Little_Rock,_Arkansas), [Arkansas](/source/Arkansas), Wilson received a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) degree from [Hendrix College](/source/Hendrix_College) in 1962 and a [Juris Doctor](/source/Juris_Doctor) from [Vanderbilt University Law School](/source/Vanderbilt_University_Law_School) in 1965. He was in [private practice](/source/Practice_of_law) in [Texarkana](/source/Texarkana,_Arkansas), Arkansas from 1965 to 1966. He was a deputy [prosecuting attorney](/source/Prosecuting_attorney) of [Miller County](/source/Miller_County,_Arkansas), Arkansas from 1965 to 1966. He was in the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) as a [lieutenant (junior grade)](/source/Lieutenant_(junior_grade)) from 1966 to 1969. He was in private practice in Little Rock, Arkansas from 1969 to 1993.[1] He briefly served as acting [Arkansas Attorney General](/source/Arkansas_Attorney_General) in the mid-1970s.

## Federal judicial service

Wilson was a United States District Judge of the [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_Eastern_District_of_Arkansas). He was nominated by President [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton) on August 6, 1993, to a seat vacated by [G. Thomas Eisele](/source/G._Thomas_Eisele). Wilson was confirmed by the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) on September 30, 1993, and received his commission on October 1, 1993. He assumed [senior status](/source/Senior_status) on October 1, 2008.[2]

## Name change

On January 12, 2011, Wilson's name was legally changed from William Roy Wilson Jr. to Billy Roy Wilson, which was his intended name at birth. Two days later, the United States District Court directed that all cases before Wilson hereafter reflect his new name.[3]

## Death

Wilson died in [Rochester, Minnesota](/source/Rochester,_Minnesota), on October 27, 2025, at the age of 85.[4]

## References

1. ["Encyclopedia of Arkansas"](https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/billy-roy-wilson-12130/). *Encyclopedia of Arkansas*. Retrieved 2020-09-10.

1. ["Wilson, Billy Roy"](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/wilson-billy-roy). *Federal Judicial Center*. Retrieved 2020-09-10.

1. [Judge Name Change from William R. Wilson Jr. to Billy Roy Wilson](http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20140605214304/http://www.are.uscourts.gov/default.cfm?content=PublicNotice) (January 14, 2011). [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_Eastern_District_of_Arkansas). Accessed July 16, 2013.

1. Dumas, Ernest (28 October 2025). ["Billy Roy Wilson, federal judge known for wisdom, integrity and mules, dies at 85"](https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2025/10/28/billy-roy-wilson-federal-judge-known-for-wisdom-integrity-and-mules-dies-at-85). *Arkansas Times*. Retrieved 28 October 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Billy Roy Wilson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Roy_Wilson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Roy_Wilson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.