Login | May 01, 2024
Annalisa Williams discusses role as admin/presiding judge
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: April 19, 2024
It’s been more than six years since Akron Municipal Court Judge Annalisa S. Williams served as administrative/presiding judge in 2017.
Since then, the court has upgraded its technology, added new programming and moved its operations from the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center to the former Oliver Ocasek Building.
Now after beginning her fourth term as administrative/presiding judge at the beginning of January, Judge Williams has unveiled an extensive agenda that seeks to build upon the improvements and continue to enhance the court’s services, creating a more user-friendly experience for lawyers, litigants and visitors.
At the top of Judge Williams’ list, finalizing the implementation of the court’s new case management system.
“Our old case management system, AMCIS was installed in 1987,” said Judge Williams. “The system is outdated and antiquated. We needed a more efficient and modern system that would give us more technological advantages like e-filing and bring us into the 21st century.”
Another major project that’s nearing completion, said Judge Williams is the installation of a kiosk system in the lobby that will make navigating the building easier.
“Our new facility provides more space for juries, specialized docket meetings and onsite activities, but it can also be more challenging for someone to locate where they need to go,” said Judge Williams. “Our kiosk system will streamline the process by letting the public know the location of the courtrooms, the probation department and any events taking place, such as weddings.
“It will also provide information to litigants about the time that their court dates start and other key details that are especially important to those who are self-represented.”
In the coming months the kiosks will also serve another purpose––providing visitors with the chance to learn more about the court’s rich history, which dates back to the early 1900s.
“We’ve had so many judges, magistrates, bailiffs and other staff members at the court over the years,” said Judge Williams. “Our research has even been able to uncover the first African American bailiff Hosea Lindsey who served as a bailiff to Judge Owen Roderick in the mid-1930s.
“We do not want anyone to be forgotten and this is our way of paying tribute to everyone from the past and moving forward.”
The idea for the initiative started last fall after materials and photographs were boxed up and moved from the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center to the new court facility.
“We stored the photographs of former judges in our new resource center and I started thinking wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to learn more about these judges,” said Judge Williams.
To begin the extensive research effort, Judge Williams assembled a curator team made of Akron Municipal Court CMS Project Manager Dennis Parks, Service Bailiff Al Gordon, Community Outreach and Grants Coordinator Nicole Hagy and Probation Administrative Services Coordinator Corri Setvin.
Attorney Dave Lieberth, a longtime member and former chair of the Summit County Historical Society, has also been asked to join the effort.
The team, which includes Judge Williams, began researching and collecting data for the project in early February, with the first phase focusing on the many judges who have served on the bench.
“Once we complete this phase, we will look to do the same for magistrates, bailiffs, and other court personnel,” said Judge Williams.
Members of the public are also being asked to participate by submitting old photos and other documentation of former employees of the court.
While it’s quite an undertaking, most of the judges’ photos have already been hung on the walls outside the auditorium and information about them will be available in the kiosks and at the resource center in the near future.
“Residents will be able to learn when and how long a judge served and some of their most notable accomplishments,” said Judge Williams. “We are asking all lawyers and judges especially those who previously served on the Akron Municipal Court to contribute to the project as well.
“During our open house in February, attendees got to see our new courtrooms and wall of judges,” said Judge Williams. “They were impressed. It was a very successful event and I’m hoping more people will come and visit.”
While Judge Williams is excited to see the court’s history come alive, she is also focused on expanding its current programming.
The court has six certified specialized dockets and a number of unique programs, including the most recent one known as Connect, which serves offenders with developmental disabilities.
“We are also excited about our newest housing court program, which offers mediation services that facilitate conversations between landlords and tenants to identify resolutions,” said Judge Williams.
“I would like to see us continue to build on all our programming successes while finding new and innovative ways to serve residents,” Judge Williams said.
Judge Williams is hoping to secure additional funding from the city of Akron to hire a full-time dedicated grant writer.
“We are committed to exploring funding opportunities to modernize court operations, programs and training, ensuring technological relevance,” she said. “The employment of a dedicated grant writer will further support these initiatives.”
In addition to executing her plans as administrative/presiding judge, she continues to preside over the mental health court, which she has done since 2005.
She also presides over the Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Program.
FACT provides assistance to severely mentally ill individuals with psychosis who also have lengthy criminal backgrounds.
In 2015 she developed the Peace of Mind Program for women with trauma issues who’ve been placed on probation. The program received the Ohio State Bar Association’s 2018 Innovative Court Programs and Practices Award.
A native of Youngstown, Judge Williams obtained her bachelor’s degree in political science from Kent State University and earned a master’s degree in urban studies from The University of Akron.
After graduating from The University of Akron School of Law in 1984, Judge Williams began her legal career as an assistant law director in the criminal division of the Akron Law Department, later moving to the civil division, before entering the private sector as a risk management liability manager for Roadway Services Inc.
When she left Roadway Services in 1992, she started a solo practice, continuing to represent clients until December 2003 when she took the Akron Municipal Court bench after being elected in November of that year.
She was also a part-time referee at Summit County Domestic Relations Court between May 1992 and June 1993 and a Summit County Human Resources Commissioner from 1997 to 2003.
In addition to her current term, Judge Williams served as administrative/presiding judge in 2008, 2012 and 2017.
A longtime member of the Ohio State, Akron, American and National bar associations, Judge Williams has served on the Akron Bar Association Board of Trustees and is a former chair of the Criminal Law Committee (now Criminal Law Section).
Judge Williams is also a member of Akron-Canton Barristers, the Association of Municipal/County Judges of Ohio, The Charles F. Scanlon and Judge Samuel H. Bell American Inn of Court and is a founding member of the Ohio Black Judges Association.
In 2015, the Ohio Supreme Court appointed Judge Williams to the Commission on Specialized Dockets and two years later, she was selected by the court to serve as a member of the Judicial College.
A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and a lifetime member of the NAACP and the Girl Scouts of America, she has served on numerous judicial task forces, professional organizations and community and civic boards, including Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services, the Criminal Justice Advisory Board, United Way, the Akron Law Alumni Association, the Kent State University Alumni Association National Board of Directors, Project GRAD Akron and The Minerva Fund.
On March 22, the Women’s History Project of the Akron Area, a program of the Summit County Historical Society, honored Judge Williams as a 2024 Woman of the Year, presenting her with the Perseverance Award.
Some of her other previous accolades include the Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award for distinguished service in the field of law, the Akron Bar Association Diversity Award, Akron Law’s Outstanding Alumni Award, Kent State University Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the Heroes Making a Difference Award from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Summit County, the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio’s Women of Distinction Award and the Ritter Award from the Ohio State Bar Foundation for a lifetime of service.
“Although I am at the beginning of my last term in office, I am excited about our new facility and all the cutting-edge technology that will continue to allow us to create new and innovative programs designed to meet the needs of the community,” said Judge Williams.
“At the end of the day, our main goal is to always provide equal access to justice,” she said.
“We are an outstanding problem-solving court and I have been blessed to serve for over 20 years making me the longest-serving female in the court’s history,” said Judge Williams.