Karen J. Williams
| Karen Williams | |
|---|---|
| Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit | |
| In office July 1, 2007 – July 8, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | William Wilkins |
| Succeeded by | William Traxler |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit | |
| In office March 2, 1992 – July 8, 2009 |
|
| Nominated by | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Robert Chapman |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1951 (age 60–61) Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States |
| Alma mater | Columbia College University of South Carolina, Columbia |
Karen J. Williams (b.1951) was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, appointed in 1992 and serving as its Chief Judge from 2007 until her retirement in 2009. Williams was mentioned as a potential nominee to the United States Supreme Court during the administration of George W. Bush.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Background
Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Williams received her B.A. from Columbia College in 1972 and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina Law Center in 1980. She was in private practice in Orangeburg, South Carolina from 1980 to 1992.
On January 27, 1992, Williams was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to a seat on the Fourth Circuit vacated by Robert Foster Chapman. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 27, 1992, and received her commission on March 2, 1992. She became chief judge in 2007.
[edit] Illness and retirement
Williams retired suddenly on July 8, 2009 after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.[2] She stated her desire to leave the bench while still able to perform her judicial duties, so that her future decisions would not be questioned because of her illness.[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ John Monk, Early-onset Alzheimers forces Judge Karen Williams' retirement, The State (July 10, 2009).
- ^ Josh White and Jerry Markon, Diagnosis of Early Alzheimer's Forces Chief Judge to Retire, The Washington Post (July 10, 2009).
- ^ Dionne Gleaton, Alzheimer's forces judge's retirement, The Times and Democrat (July 9, 2009).
- Karen J. Williams at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Chapman |
Judge of the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 1992–2007 |
Vacant |
| Preceded by William Wilkins |
Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 2007–2009 |
Succeeded by William Traxler |
