Ann Claire Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ann Williams
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | |
| In office June 5, 2017 – January 16, 2018 |
|
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | |
| In office November 15, 1999 – June 5, 2017 |
|
| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Walter J. Cummings Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Amy St. Eve |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois | |
| In office April 4, 1985 – November 15, 1999 |
|
| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Succeeded by | Joan Lefkow |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 16, 1949 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent |
| Education | Wayne State University (BS) University of Michigan (MA) University of Notre Dame (JD) |
Ann Claire Williams, born on August 16, 1949, is a very respected retired judge. She used to work for the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which is a high court that reviews decisions from lower courts. Before that, she was a judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, a court where trials happen. Today, she works as a special advisor at a law firm called Jones Day.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ann Williams was born in Detroit, Michigan. Her parents, Dorothy and Joshua Williams, were both teachers in public schools.
Learning and Teaching
Ann went to Wayne State University and earned a degree in elementary education. She then got a master's degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Michigan. Before becoming a lawyer, Ann taught students in Detroit's public schools. Later, she went to Notre Dame Law School to study law and became a lawyer.
Professional Career
After finishing law school, Ann Williams worked as a law clerk for Judge Robert A. Sprecher. He was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Ann was one of the first two African-American women to work as a law clerk at that court.
Working as a Prosecutor
She then became an Assistant United States Attorney in Chicago. For nine years, she handled important criminal cases. She also appeared before the Seventh Circuit Court. Ann was the first woman of color to be a supervisor in that office. She was promoted to deputy chief and then chief of the criminal division.
In 1983, she became the first chief of the Organized Drug Enforcement Task Force. This job involved organizing federal investigations and prosecutions across five states.
Teaching Law
Starting in 1979, Ann Williams also taught law at Northwestern University School of Law and John Marshall Law School. Even after she became a judge, she continued teaching. She taught about trial advocacy at law schools in Chicago and at Harvard Law School. She has taught in many programs, helping people learn how to argue cases in court.
Federal Judicial Service
Ann Williams served as a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She held this position from 1985 to 1999.
Appointed by President Reagan
President Ronald Reagan nominated her for this new judge position on March 13, 1985. The Senate approved her on April 3, 1985. She officially started her job on April 4, 1985. Her appointment made her the first woman judge of color in the Seventh Circuit's three-state area. She left this role on November 17, 1999, when she was promoted to a higher court.
Appointed by President Clinton
On August 5, 1999, President Bill Clinton nominated Ann Williams for a position on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. This position became open after Judge Walter J. Cummings Jr. passed away. The Senate unanimously approved her on November 10, 1999. This made her the first judge of color on the Seventh Circuit. She was also the third woman of color to serve on any United States Court of Appeals. She officially started on November 15, 1999.
She took on a "senior status" role on June 5, 2017. This means she worked a reduced schedule. She fully retired on January 16, 2018.
Supreme Court Consideration
In 2007, Judge Williams disagreed with a court decision. Some media outlets mentioned her as a possible choice for the Supreme Court. This was in 2009 and 2010 when Justices David Souter and John Paul Stevens retired.
Awards and Recognition
Ann Williams has received several important awards for her work.
Margaret Brent Award
In 2008, the American Bar Association gave her the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. This award celebrates women lawyers who have achieved great things.
Edward J. Devitt Award
In 2010, she received the 28th Annual Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. The American Judicature Society gives this award to U.S. federal judges. It recognizes judges whose careers have been excellent. It honors their important contributions to justice and improving society.
Political Views
In a newspaper article from December 11, 1999, Ann Williams said she is politically independent. She did not say if she was a Republican or a Democrat. She explained that judges do not make laws like Congress. She also said she would not forget her background or let her role as a judge stop her from being a caring person.
See also
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Illinois
