William C. Hastings (January 31, 1921 – July 17, 2010) was a justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court from January 31, 1979 to September 2, 1987, and chief justice from then until his retirement in 1995. Born in Newman Grove, Nebraska, Hastings attended Newman Grove High School and thereafter enrolled at the University of Nebraska, but his studies were interrupted by World War II. During the war, he worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a fingerprint analyst, also serving in the United States Army. After the war, he returned to law school at the University of Nebraska College of Law and in 1948 became an attorney with a Nebraska firm. He also served stints as a part-time county court judge.