William Newsom

American judge

infobox person
|name=William Newsom
|image=
|birth name=William Alfred Newsom III
|birth date=1934 02 15
|birth place=San Francisco, California, U. S.
|death date=Died: 2018 12 12 (aged 84)
|death place=San Francisco, California, U. S.
|children=2, including Gavin
|parents=
|resting place=
|occupation=Judge, lawyer
|spouse=Tessa Thomas Menzies on 1966

Newsom was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Christine Anne (née Brennan) and William A. Newsom II. All of his friends and family referred to him as Bill. Newsom, a native San Franciscan, had established political and monetary ties. His father ran Pat Brown's campaign for San Francisco district attorney, who then later became Governor of California. In 1967, he married Tessa Menzies, and had two children (including Gavin) before divorcing her after five years. In 1975, Jerry Brown appointed Newsom to the Superior Court bench in Auburn (Placer County) and later to the state Court of Appeal in San Francisco, where he served until his retirement in 1995. He screened potential investments and made recommendations on real estate, stocks, bonds, and other ventures. "I make my living working for Gordon Getty", Newsom said in 2003. During his judicial career he had had to curb his advocacy for environmental protection to maintain his professional neutrality. In 2004 he administered the oath of office to Gavin upon his appointment as mayor of San Francisco.

Newsom died of ulcerative colitis at his home in San Francisco on December 12, 2018, at the age of 84, less than a month before his son Gavin took office as governor.