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Judge Walter Williams remembered as local legend

ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 23 -- FILE -- Judge Walter Williams questions a defendant in his Chattanooga, Tenn., criminal courtroom, in this March 19, 2001, file photo. Williams faces a July 25, 2001, trial on 26 charges of misconduct filed by the Tennessee Court of Judiciary, the disciplinary board that monitors the behavior of judges and pursues complaints made to it by citizens. (AP Photo/Chattanooga Times and Free Press, Chad McClure, File)
ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 23 -- FILE -- Judge Walter Williams questions a defendant in his Chattanooga, Tenn., criminal courtroom, in this March 19, 2001, file photo. Williams faces a July 25, 2001, trial on 26 charges of misconduct filed by the Tennessee Court of Judiciary, the disciplinary board that monitors the behavior of judges and pursues complaints made to it by citizens. (AP Photo/Chattanooga Times and Free Press, Chad McClure, File) ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 23 -- FILE -- Judge Walter Williams questions a defendant in his Chattanooga, Tenn., criminal courtroom, in this March 19, 2001, file photo. Williams faces a July 25, 2001, trial on 26 charges of misconduct filed by the Tennessee Court of Judiciary, the disciplinary board that monitors the behavior of judges and pursues complaints made to it by citizens. (AP Photo/Chattanooga Times and Free Press, Chad McClure, File)

By Sofia Saric 6 min read

In the days after his death, former Chattanooga City Judge Walter Williams is being remembered as a champion for those in need and a local legend who took a sometimes unconventional approach to the bench and life.

Williams died Friday at the age of 73.

His influence is evident from the many stories being told about him by longtime friends, colleagues and even professional and political adversaries around the city, Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly said in a statement.

“I hope his family and friends can find comfort in the knowledge that he blazed a trail for future generations and changed countless lives for the better while our community was lucky enough to have him,” Kelly said.

The Chattanooga native was a magna cum laude graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, according to a Facebook post by his daughter, Hillary. He earned his law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and married his college sweetheart, Gwendolyn.