Nashville, Tenn. (TN Tribune)-It was a historic ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 26, for the official investiture of Judge Stephanie J. Williams. With 10 program participants, she was sworn in as judge of the Circuit Court, Division IV for the 20th Judicial District of Tennessee.
The 2 p.m. ceremony was held at Trevecca University in the Boone Auditorium, with an audience of nearly 500 people. Surrounded by her family, friends, colleagues and many supporters, Judge Williams expressed her appreciation and a special prayer.
“I asked God to help me be clear and considerate of the people in which I interact,” she said.
Judge Williams is no stranger to this position. She had been in this space. The unexpected passing of the incumbent judge in 2022 allowed Williams to enter a new position as an elected official. She entered the race to permanently fill the seat and found that she enjoyed campaigning. With every interaction, it reinforced her belief in the importance of her work.
“You look at life through a different lens when you can take time to meet people from different types of communities, with different religious, cultural or socioeconomic backgrounds,” Williams said. “I learned the commonality in it all was family. We are all connected to family in one respect or another, and it really was a wonderful experience to learn about what it means to serve families in Nashville.”
Williams won the primary election in March during Women’s History Month, then ran uncontested in the general election on Aug. 1 to become the new Fourth Circuit Judge. With plans to modernize aspects of court operations and increase accessibility through technology, Williams wants to ensure the Fourth Circuit Court remains attuned to the needs of Nashvillians.
“In many ways, the courts operate the same way today that they did 20 years ago,” Williams said. “But we have a responsibility to serve our community in a way that uses modern resources and technologies to increase efficiency. That was one of the silver linings of COVID; it taught us that we do have the technology available to make sure people don’t have to be inconvenienced.”
Judge Williams begins her role on September 1, 2024.
The Treveccan On-Line contributed to this story.
