William Jay Riley (March 11, 1947 – January 27, 2023) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Riley received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska and earned his Juris Doctor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law.

Following graduation, he was a law clerk to Eighth Circuit Judge Donald P. Lay, and then he was in private practice until his appointment to the Eighth Circuit.

[1] On May 23, 2001, he was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat vacated by Judge C. Arlen Beam.

[2] He was swiftly confirmed 97–0 by the United States Senate just over two months later on August 2, 2001.