| William Keith Watkins | |
| Office: | Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama |
| Term Start: | January 31, 2019 |
| Office1: | Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama |
| Term Start1: | May 18, 2011 |
| Term End1: | January 31, 2019 |
| Predecessor1: | Mark Fuller |
| Successor1: | Emily C. Marks |
| Office2: | Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama |
| Term Start2: | December 27, 2005 |
| Term End2: | January 31, 2019 |
| Appointer2: | George W. Bush |
| Predecessor2: | Harold Albritton |
| Successor2: | R. Austin Huffaker Jr. |
| Birth Name: | William Keith Watkins |
| Birth Date: | 5 July 1951 |
| Birth Place: | Pike County, Alabama |
| Education: | Auburn University (BS) University of Alabama (JD) |
William Keith Watkins (born July 5, 1951) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
Born in Pike County, Alabama, Watkins received a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University in 1973 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1976. He was in private practice in Alabama from 1976 to 2005.
On September 28, 2005, Watkins was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama vacated by Harold Albritton. Watkins was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 21, 2005, and received his commission on December 27, 2005. He served as Chief Judge from 2011–2019. He assumed senior status on January 31, 2019.
In April 2017, Watkins issued an order enabling white supremacist Richard B. Spencer to speak at Auburn University despite an initial cancelation by the administrators.[1] In July 2017, Watkins found that Alabama did not need to notify formerly disenfranchised ex-felons of new legislation allowing them to vote.