Bill Mercer

William Walter "Bill" Mercer was born in 1964 and is an American attorney and politician. He currently serves as a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the District of Montana, a position to which he was nominated by President Donald Trump in July 2025 and confirmed later that year. Mercer represented House District 52 in the Montana House of Representatives as a Republican from 2019 to 2025, when he resigned following his confirmation as a federal judge.

Political Experience

Mercer first announced his candidacy for the Montana House in 2018 to succeed retiring Republican Don Jones. He won his initial election with 59.2% of the vote and was subsequently reelected three times: in 2020 with 67.7% of the vote, in 2022, and again in 2024 for a fourth term.

During his legislative tenure, Mercer held significant committee positions, including chairing both the House Judicial Committee and the Law Enforcement and Justice Committee. He also served as a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Education and Legal Career

Prior to his legislative service, Mercer worked as a United States attorney for the District of Montana from 2001 to 2009. He also served as principal associate deputy attorney general for the United States Department of Justice and was nominated by President George W. Bush as Associate Attorney General, which he held in an acting capacity before resigning prior to his confirmation hearing.