Former City Court Judge Walter Williams said Tuesday that he has turned in qualifying materials seeking a temporary appointment to the City Council’s District 5, the seat of outgoing Councilman John “Duke” Franklin Jr.

“I understand what it’s all about,” Mr. Williams said of the council. “Certainly from an interim perspective, I could get to the ground running.”

Mr. Franklin, who pleaded not guilty last week to money laundering, conspiring to obstruct justice and providing false statements to federal officials in a drug-related case, resigned from the council effective Tuesday.

District 5 applicants have until Friday at 1 p.m. to turn in a letter of interest and a resume or personal biography at the City Council offices. The District 5 interim pick must agree not to run in the Nov. 4 special election for the council seat.

Beatrice Hicks, of 336 N. Crest Road, also has put in her name for consideration for the appointment, according to Carol O’Neal, clerk of the council.

Councilman Dan Page said Tuesday that Mr. Williams will not have any “inside edge” as the council eyes potential District 5 appointees.

“We should let everybody apply and then evaluate them on their own merits,” he said.

Mr. Williams, a local lawyer, has said that he is not part of Mr. Franklin’s defense for federal charges in a drug investigation, although he has acknowledged that he made a “limited appearance” in court for Mr. Franklin on May 14, the day the councilman was arrested along with 41 others.

Mr. Williams said Tuesday that he no longer is representing Mr. Franklin on the federal charges because one of the other defendants in the federal case, Perry Lawrence, had been one of his clients.

“I could no longer represent Mr. Franklin or consider representing him given that I had previously represented Mr. Lawrence on several matters,” Mr. Williams said. “It was a potential conflict of interest.”

Mr. Williams has said that he represents the John P. Franklin Funeral Home as well as personal matters for the Franklin family, which owns the funeral home. But Mr. Williams said Tuesday that his connections with the departing councilman and his family should have no bearing on the council’s decision for the District 5 appointment.

“I don’t think anything Councilman Franklin is alleged to have done has anything to do with the council,” he said.