February 1 2013 - Judge Elijah Williams Juvenile Court Delinquency Division

BIOGRAPHY

ELIJAH H. WILLIAMS

Honorable Elijah H. Williams, (1959 -      ) Circuit Judge, 17^th Judicial Circuit, Broward County, Florida.  Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Elijah Harold Williams attended Walker Elementary School, Broward Estates Elementary School, Parkway Middle School and South Plantation High School (1972 – 1976) in Broward County, Florida.

In 1976, at the age of 16, Elijah entered the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1980.  Upon winning a $26,500 graduate fellowship, he entered both the University of Florida’s graduate program and law school concurrently and was awarded a Master of Arts degree in Political Science/Public Administration and a Juris Doctorate degree in August 1983.  Six months later, he was admitted to the Florida Bar.

In October 1984, he was commissioned as a Captain in the United States Air Force and was assigned to the Staff Judge Advocate General’s Department and sent to Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, Colorado.  While stationed at Lowry AFB, he served primarily as the Chief of Preventive Law/Legal Assistance.  In October 1986, he was reassigned to RAF Bentwaters, England.  For the initial six months of the tour, he served as the Chief of Civil Law.  In March of 1987, he became the Chief of Military Justice.  In this position, he managed the military justice program for the largest tactical fighter wing in the USAF and served as a prosecutor at court-martials and a government representative at administrative discharge boards.  In March 1988, Captain Williams authored the lead article for the United States Air Force Law Reporter (“DNA Fingerprinting – Into the 21^st Century”).  In 1989, he was selected to be the Area Defense Counsel.  This was a prestigious position, which entailed constant travel across the European continent defending military members accused of major crimes.  Additionally, for a three (3) year period, Captain Williams was an Adjunct Assistant Professor for both Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of Maryland.  As such, he taught two college legal courses each term.

Also, in 1989, Elijah won a Toastmaster’s International regional speech contest and was selected as one of Great Britain’s ten (10) best public speakers.

In July 1990, Captain Williams resigned from the United States Air Force and was appointed an Assistant State Attorney in Broward County.  As a result, he prosecuted criminals for offenses ranging from DUI to 2^nd degree murder.  He left his position as a prosecutor in December 1992, and was hired by the Law Firm of Whitelock, Soloff and Rodriquez in January 1993, to serve as an assistant General Counsel to the Sheriff of Broward County.  He was made a named partner in the law firm on January 2, 1995.

On May 1, 1998, Elijah Williams transitioned into the Broward Sheriff’s Office as an employee and managed, in an interim status, the Legal and Risk Management Departments.  In that capacity, he managed a staff of twenty (20) people, to include six (6) attorneys.

In November 2001, Elijah applied to become a circuit judge and was one of many attorneys seeking to fill a judicial vacancy.  As one of six nominees selected by the Judicial Nominating Commission, his name was forwarded to Florida Governor Jeb Bush.  On March 1, 2002, Governor Bush appointed Elijah Williams to Broward’s Circuit Court. Judge Williams currently presides over juvenile delinquency cases.

Since 1994, he has been happily married to the former Deborah Garner of Huntsville, Alabama. They live in Plantation, along with their 5-pound Yorkie named “Taylor.”

Please go to www.browardbar.org to register for this event.