William W. Van Ness (1776–1823) was a New York lawyer, state judge and legislator.
From Claverack, New York, he studied law with John Bay of that same town, and was admitted to the bar in 1792.
Van Ness was also a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention in 1821, but was part of the minority which did not approve of the final draft.
In 1820, Van Ness stood trial for impeachment on claims that he had used his position to obtain a bank charter.
[4] Van Ness married his wife Jane in 1796, and had five children.