TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Mar 31, 2026

Retired Circuit Court Judge Marie Williams was honored at a portrait unveiling ceremony in Chattanooga's Hamilton County Circuit Court last week. The event celebrated her nearly three decades as the first woman to serve as a state court judge in the county. Williams attended the University of Tennessee Winston College of Law and became one of very few female civil litigators in the city before being appointed to the bench in 1995. She subsequently was reelected five times without opposition. Colleagues praised her leadership and practical judgment, with one judge highlighting her steady guidance in keeping courts accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her portrait, commissioned by the Chattanooga Bar Association and painted by artist Sergei Chernikov, now hangs in Division III of the Historic Hamilton County Courthouse. Read more from Chattanoogan.comSee photos from the event.