News

Akron Municipal Court Administrative/Presiding Judge Annalisa S. Williams is set to be recognized by The Women’s History Project of the Akron Area this upcoming Friday during their “Woman of the Year Awards Luncheon.”

The Women’s History Project, which is a program of the Summit County Historical Society, will honor seven female community leaders with a 2024 Woman of the Year award. Judge Annalisa S. Williams will be recognized in the perseverance category. This is the 41^st luncheon in the organization’s history.

A recognition luncheon will take place at Noon on Friday, March 22, 2024 at St. George’s Fellowship Hall in Copley Township.

“My team and I enjoy honoring such outstanding women year after year,” said Leianne Neff Heppner, Executive Director of the Summit County Historical Society. “Our selection committee found Judge Williams’ journey to be unique and inspiring. She has impacted countless women during her time on the bench and through her volunteer efforts.”

More information about this event and the complete list of those being honored can be found here.

About Judge Annalisa S. Williams
Judge Annalisa S. Williams graduated with honors from Kent State University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She received a master’s degree from The University of Akron in Urban Studies in 1980. In 1984, she earned her Juris Doctorate Degree from The University of Akron School of Law and was awarded her license to practice by the Supreme Court of Ohio that same year.

Judge Williams was first elected to the Akron Municipal Court on November 4, 2003 and was reelected in 2005, 2011, 2017 and 2023. She is the longest-serving female Judge in Akron Municipal Court’s history.

Judge Williams is the current Administrative/Presiding Judge for the Court. She held this position previously in 2008, 2012 and 2017.

Since 2005, Judge Williams has presided over the Mental Health Court specialized docket. Judge Williams has also developed many impactful programs within the Akron Municipal Court, such as the Peace of Mind Probation Program which earned the Ohio State Bar Association's 2018 Innovative Court Programs and Practices Award.

In 2015, the Supreme Court of Ohio appointed Judge Williams as a member of the Commission on Specialized Dockets. In 2017, she was appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court to be a member of the Judicial College.

In 2020, Judge Williams was selected as the Kent State University Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient for the year. The Distinguished Alumni Award honors exceptional alumni who have made outstanding contributions in their chosen profession and demonstrated extraordinary service to their community.

In 2022, Judge Williams received the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Change Maker Award, the Centennial 2022 Akron Law Outstanding Alumni Award, the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio Woman of Distinction Award and the Ohio State Bar Foundation's Ritter Award which is a lifetime achievement award.

 She earned the Summit County Democratic Party's 2023 Jane Quine Democrat of the Year Award.

 Judge Williams is married to Michael D. Williams and they have two adult children.

Judge Annalisa S. Williams