William K. Murphy was born in Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada on August 26th, 1953, the son of Capt. E.J. Murphy, USN. He attended school in Gladstone in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He graduated from Western Michigan University (with high honors) in 1975 with a criminal justice major and from the Detroit College of Law (with honors) in 1980. He is married and has four adult children. He is a member of the Michigan State and Kalamazoo County bar associations. He is also a member and past president of the Kalamazoo County Trial Lawyer's association.