The legal career of William C. Hultgren is marked by many significant milestones, including the 1998 state election which saw him run unopposed for a second six-year term as 19th District Court judge.

Hultgren's four year tenure (1998-2001) as chief judge saw him lay the groundwork for dramatic improvements in court services, including the creation of a new Juvenile Division which will permit cases involving Dearborn youngsters to be handled locally rather than in downtown Detroit; an expanded educational program for Dearborn students; major upgrades in the court's computer system and working closely with Dearborn police to install video arraignment equipment.

A lifetime Dearborn resident and a graduate of Edsel Ford high School, Hultgren served 17 years as Dearborn city attorney before being elected judge in 1992.

His tenure in the key city position, the longest in Dearborn history, saw him serve with distinction under Mayors Orville L. Hubbard, John B. O'Reilly and Michael A. Guido.

Hultgren's accomplishments received high state and national recognition in his final year as city attorney when he was accorded the Michigan Municipal League's 1992 “Distinguished Municipal Attorney” award and the National Institute of Municipal Officers' annual “Outstanding Public Service by a Municipal Attorney” award.

However, as city attorney, Hultgren perhaps is best remembered for his highly publicized victories in the famed Nativity Scene cases in the U.S. 6th District Court of Appeals.

As a judge, Hultgren is equally well known for his work on the bench and his deep civic involvement. He was the recipient of the Detroit College of Business coveted Distinguished Community Service Award for 1998 and the Edgar A. Guest Masonic Award for Community Service for 1999.

Judge Hultgren is a Dearborn Centurion and a 27-year member of the Dearborn Rotary Club. He was a leading Dearborn Goodfellow salesperson for years and now is an active participant in the D.A.R.E. program for elementary school students.