Kenneth Williams

A former county and circuit court judge for more than twenty-four years, Attorney Ken Williams served in the State Attorney’s office between March 1979 to June 1986. While working there he developed and handled a special division, Child Abuse Division, that prosecuted child abuse cases in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. In addition to those duties, he continued to handle a full division, prosecuting serious felonies, including, kidnap, sexual battery, and murder cases. While doing so, he earned a reputation of being a firm but fair prosecutor.

In June 1986, he was appointed to the county court bench by then-Governor Bob Graham. He served in that capacity until September 1990 when he resigned to run for the circuit court bench. He was overwhelmingly elected to the circuit bench in November 1990 and was unopposed during four subsequent elections.

While on the bench, Ken Williams served in every division and area of the law, handling over 20,000 cases during his tenure. He performed distinguished service, especially in the area of Family Law, and was invited by the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar to write a chapter and lecture for the Marital and Family Law Certification and Review Course, in 2009.

He was appointed by Governor Graham to serve on several statewide committees and task forces, including, Governor’s Task Force for the Review of the Criminal Justice and Corrections Systems, Governor’s Safe Street Summit, Florida Bar, Family Section, Bounds of Advocacy Committee, and the Florida Bar Rules of Judicial Administration Committee.

He served, for twenty years, as an adjunct professor of law for then, Pensacola Junior college [now Pensacola State University] teaching the subjects: Evidence and Forensic Science. He has given hundreds of lectures on various topics of the law.

As a trial attorney and trial judge, he has tried and presided over thousands of civil and criminal cases from simple misdemeanor and traffic infractions to complex personal injury and products liability cases. He has done so with unsurpassed prescience and perspicacity. He has demonstrated an indefatigable work ethic and adroit legal abilities.