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WHEREAS, Judge Joseph K. Williams, III, a Pittsburgh native who attended Pittsburgh Public Schools and opened a private law practice in Manchester, has announced his retirement as judge of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas following 16 years of dedicated service; and,
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WHEREAS, while in high school, Judge Williams won a scholarship to attend Yale University in his junior and senior years, thereafter returning to Pittsburgh to attend Carnegie Mellon University to pursue a major in psychology, a master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, and graduating in 1985 from the Duquesne University School of Law; and,
WHEREAS, Judge Williams’ work as a developer of historically significant properties is also distinguished, having received the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Preservation Award in 1991 for his restoration of the 1884 Queen Anne property which housed his law offices, one of eight properties he has restored; and,
WHEREAS, from 2001 to 2004 Judge Williams served as Secretary of the Sports and Exhibition Authority, where he drafted the definitive report on minority and women owned business enterprise participation during the development of Heinz Field, PNC park, and the David L. Lawrence Convention Center; and,
WHEREAS, Judge Williams served as the Chair of the Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board, where he was responsible for the review of policies for their $80 million annual budget, leading efforts to reform healthcare within the jail and more efficient adjudication, resulting in a 20% inmate population decrease and $1.1 million in monthly savings; and,
WHEREAS, initially sworn in to the Court of Common Pleas in November of 2008 following an appointment by Governor Rendell, he subsequently was elected to 10 year terms in 2009 and 2019, serving on the Court’s Criminal Division for 9 years where he received the award for most efficient court in the Commonwealth during his term, and receiving similar honors while serving as a judge in the Orphans’ Court Division; and,
WHEREAS, prior to his judgeship, Judge Williams practiced law for 24 years, specializing in real estate development, international transactions, estates and trusts, and criminal law; and,
WHEREAS, he has received numerous professional awards, being listed as one o f the region’s top criminal defense attorneys in Pittsburgh Magazine, and honored with the Spirit Award by the County Bar Association’s Homer S. Brown Division;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare October 22, 2024 to be “Judge Joseph K. Williams, III Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.