Fulton judge accused of detaining woman during parents' divorce hearing, calling in favor for uncle
A Fulton County Superior Court judge is facing charges accusing her of misconduct.
Earlier this week, the Judicial Qualifications Commission brought 15 charges against Judge Shermela Williams.
Several of the charges accuse the judge of taking too long to render a decision on child support and child custody cases, some taking as long as 30 months.
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One of the complaints involves a 22-year-old woman being detained after testifying in her parents' divorce case.
During her testimony, the woman reported having a strained relationship with her father and going to his apartment and damaging it.
While attorneys delivered closing arguments, Judge Williams reportedly stopped them to discuss the daughter's testimony.
She is quoted in the complaint as telling the woman she had admitted to 36 years in prison worth of crimes in her testimony before having a deputy 'show her what that cell looks like.' The woman was then left in a holding cell for more than 30 minutes.
When she was brought back into the courtroom, Judge Williams is quoted as telling the woman about 'girls who came in here with daddy issues.'
The JQC complaint says that Williams had no legal justification to detain the woman in a cell.
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In a separate incident, the complaint details Judge Williams asking a metro Atlanta law firm to call her on a personal cell phone after hours.
When speaking with an associate with the law firm, the judge is accused of asking for an extension in a case so the respondent, her uncle, would have more time to file his answer.
She is quoted as telling the associate that because others at the firm were reasonable, they should 'work something out.'
The complaint claims Williams used the 'prestige of her office to advance the private interest of another.'
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Judge Williams' office for a comment.
S25Z0722 JQC Formal Charges by Jennifer Smith on Scribd
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