Stephanie J. Williams is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, but has made Nashville her home for more than thirty years. She received a B.A. in Management and Human Relations from Trevecca Nazarene University, and her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Stephanie has also completed classes for a Master of Psychology degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Trevecca.
Stephanie began her law career at the Law Office of Manson, Jones & Associates, where she first worked as a law clerk and then as an associate attorney, practicing in the areas of entertainment, probate, real estate, and contract law, as well as family law (divorce, legal separation, child support, child custody, visitation), juvenile law (delinquency and parentage divisions), and general civil litigation.
Stephanie had a passion for family law, and recognized the need for affordable, effective family law representation. In 2006, she received grant funds to establish the Family Justice Center—the first firm of its kind in middle Tennessee, providing reduced-fee family law representation to low-income families. In 2008, Stephanie transitioned to a solo private practice, eventually creating SJW Family Law, where she continued to provide high-quality, low-cost legal representation to family law clients.
In January 2014, Judge Philip E. Smith appointed Stephanie as Special Master of the Circuit Court, Division, IV, 20th Judicial District of Tennessee (more commonly known as Fourth Circuit Court), which exclusively hears family law matters. Stephanie conducted Special Master hearings and judicial settlement conferences, assumed general case management duties, and provided legal and administrative support to Judge Smith. She served in this role until Judge Smith’s unexpected death in September 2022.
In April 2023, she joined the law firm of Thompson Burton, PLLC, where she performed family law mediations. At the same time, she launched her campaign to fill Judge Smith’s seat. Stephanie won a decisive victory in the judicial election and, on September 1, 2024, began her term as Judge of the Fourth Circuit Court.
Judge Williams is an adjunct professor at the Nashville School of Law, and serves as the Faculty Advisor to the school’s Legal Aid Society. She is also involved with numerous professional, community, and charitable organizations, including Dream Streets Nashville, a Step Ahead of Middle Tennessee, New Level Community Development Center, Les Gemmes, Inc. – Nashville Chapter, Women’s Political Collaborative of Tennessee, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Women in Numbers, NAACP, Junior League of Nashville, National Women’s Political Caucus – Middle Tennessee, League of Women Voters, Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville Bar Association, Napier Looby Bar Association, and Lawyers Association for Women. She is also a founding member of Booked But Not Bound, a Juvenile Justice Literacy Initiative, working with youth in the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center.
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