Karen J. Williams

For other people named Karen Williams, see Karen Williams (disambiguation).

Karen Johnson Williams (August 4, 1951 – November 2, 2013) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, appointed in 1992 and served 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][2]

Karen J. Williams
Williams in 2008
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
In office July 8, 2009 – November 2, 2013
Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
In office July 1, 2007 – July 8, 2009
Preceded by	William Walter Wilkins
Succeeded by	William Byrd Traxler Jr.
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
In office March 2, 1992 – July 8, 2009
Appointed by	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Robert F. Chapman
Succeeded by	Henry F. Floyd
Personal details
Born	(1951-08-04)August 4, 1951 Orangeburg, South Carolina
Died	November 2, 2013(2013-11-02) (aged 62) Orangeburg, South Carolina
Education	Columbia College (BA) University of South Carolina School of Law (JD)

Education and career

Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Williams received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College in 1972 and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1980. She was in private practice in Orangeburg from 1980 to 1992.^[3]

Federal judicial service

Williams's court portrait.

On January 27, 1992, Williams was nominated by President George H. W. Bush to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated by Judge Robert F. Chapman. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 27, 1992, and received her commission on March 2, 1992. She served as its chief judge from 2007 to 2009.^[3]

Illness and retirement

Williams assumed senior status due to a certified disability on July 8, 2009 after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.^[3][4] 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.^[5] She died on November 2, 2013.^[6]

See also

• George W. Bush Supreme Court candidates

References

1. John Monk, Early-onset Alzheimers forces Judge Karen Williams' retirement Archived 2009-10-12 at the Wayback Machine, The State (July 10, 2009).
2. Who, Marquis Who's (1 November 2001). Who's Who in the South and Southwest, 2001-2002. Marquis Who's Who, LLC. ISBN 9780837908328 – via Google Books.
3. "Williams, Karen J. - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
4. Josh White and Jerry Markon, Diagnosis of Early Alzheimer's Forces Chief Judge to Retire, The Washington Post (July 10, 2009).
5. Dionne Gleaton, Alzheimer's forces judge's retirement, The Times and Democrat (July 9, 2009).
6. "ORANGEBURG, SC: Former federal judge Karen Williams dies; was a native of Orangeburg | Local News | the State". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-30.

Sources

• Karen J. Williams at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Robert F. Chapman	Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 1992–2009	Succeeded by Henry F. Floyd
Preceded by William Walter Wilkins	Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 2007–2009	Succeeded by William Byrd Traxler Jr.