4th Circuit Court of Appeal Chief Judge William H. Byrnes, III, 61, died Tuesday, October 21, 2003 in New Orleans. He earned his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in 1965 and his juris doctor degree from Loyola University Law School in 1968. He was in the private practice of law from 1968 until his election to the bench. He served in the Louisiana Legislature as Representative for District 92, Orleans Parish from 1975 until 1981. During his tenure in office, he was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee from 1979 until 1981. He first took the bench in 1982 and was reelected twice without opposition as judge of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal, where he served until his death. He had recently been elected vice chairman of the Conference of Court of Appeal Judges.