Nashville, Tenn. (TN Tribune)-In a commanding victory, Stephanie Williams emerged as the Democratic nominee for the Nashville Fourth Circuit Court judge seat on Tuesday, securing almost twice as many votes as her combined opponents.
The triumph positions her favorably for the upcoming general election in August, where she faces no opposition from Republican candidates, essentially paving her way to the bench.
Four candidates were seeking for the Democratic nomination. They were Williams, the court’s former special master; incumbent Stan Kweller, who has held the job since 2023; Audrey Anderson, a family law attorney; and Tusca Alexis, a family law mediator. The Davidson County Fourth Circuit Court is one of Nashville’s two family courts. It handles a high volume of some of Davidson County’s most emotional court cases, including divorces, custody battles, child support and adoptions. Between Nashville’s two family courts in the third and fourth circuits, 1,706 new divorce cases were filed in 2023.
Over the past 20 years, Williams has participated as a litigant, lawyer, mediator, and judicial officer in family court. As a single mother, Williams worked, attended school at night and commuted between Nashville and Knoxville to obtain her law degree. In her 12 years of private practice, she represented hundreds of litigants at reduced rates, who may otherwise have been unable to afford a lawyer. More recently, Williams served for nearly 9 years in a judicial capacity in Fourth Circuit Court under the late Judge Philip E. Smith. For more than 15 years, she has dedicated herself to causes in the community, many of which she initiated, that support, uplift, and empower children and families.
