By Jheri Hardaway
Staff Writer
In honor of Women’s History Month, The Carolinian is proud to celebrate North Carolina’s own Judge Betty J. Williams, a distinguished alumna of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and a dedicated career social worker who rose to prominence in the New York State Unified Court System.
Judge Williams' impressive judicial career includes being elected to Civil Court in 2000 and re-elected in 2010. She was appointed an Acting Supreme Court Justice on March 31, 2009, before her election to the New York State Supreme Court in November 2013. A longtime Brooklyn resident, she has presided in various parts of Kings County Criminal Court. Justice Williams was assigned to Kings County Criminal Court where she presided in the Arraignment Parts, All Purpose Parts, Domestic Violence Parts, Trial Parts and Jury 1. Notably, Justice Williams was assigned to the Misdemeanor Brooklyn Treatment Court (MBTC) and Part 70 (felony), both of which follow the national drug court model. This model provides long-term substance abuse offenders with an opportunity to receive treatment instead of incarceration, reflecting her commitment to rehabilitation and restorative justice.
Justice Williams is an accomplished scholar, holding a Bachelor of Science from NC A&T State University (1966), a Master of Science from Columbia University (1973), and a Juris Doctor from New York Law School (1984). While at New York Law School, she became the first woman to receive the Abraham Markoff Scholarship Award from the New York State Bar Association, Worker’s Compensation Division.
Beyond the bench, Judge Williams is a passionate advocate for community involvement, public service, and a loyal mentor to countless young leaders. She has demonstrated her leadership with the National Association of Women Justices (NAWJ), NAWJ Women in Prison Committee, and Chairperson Emeritus of the New York Chapter’s Women in Prison Committee. She has organized and participated in numerous workshops for incarcerated women across New York State on vital topics such as Parole Issues, Re-Entry, and the Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions.
Her dedication to education and career development is evident in her instrumental role in opening the Kings County Criminal Court Career and Education Center in 2009 and the Brooklyn Youth General Equivalency Diploma Program in 2010, which has helped over 20 students receive their GED. Judge Williams is the recipient of numerous awards for her public and community service, including the NAACP Legal Leadership Award (2012), the Justice Vaino Spencer Leadership Award from The National Association of Women Justices (2009), and the National Sojourner Truth Meritorious Service Award (2007).
Affectionately known by her mentees around the world as Judge Betty, not only does our retired judge guide and influence future leaders she also dedicates time and her own resources to connecting the past and the future. Judge Betty ensured the actions of the NC A&T Four were commemorated forever by contributing towards the famous A&T Four statue on campus. With her name enshrined forever on the side of the statue her dedication to our history is undeniable.
