Judicial Contempt Power Memorandum from Joe Kearfott to Judge Williams, n.d.

The Papers of Judge Richard L. Williams (85 archival boxes, 34 linear ft.) were donated to the Law School in December of 2011. The documents portray his tenure as a Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia. There are also some personal documents that give us a glance of his personal life.

The papers maintained their original organization:

Chambers Manuals and Jury Instructions – Sample documents used in Judge Williams' chambers.

Chrono Files – 1988–2010: We received 6 cartons (became 5 cartons after weeding duplicates and some administrative stuff) of chronological files dated 1988-2011. These documents were found in chronological order but completely mixed. Personal files, clerks' memos, memoranda from the Justice Department, opinions, orders, etc. Correspondence, both professional and personal, newspaper clippings, prisoners' correspondence, documents from the judicial, etc. Researchers will be able to read many important judicial topics, as well as see the day-to-day management of Judge Williams’ chambers, and other not so professional, but important, matters. After 1993, these files seemed to be better organized and there are fewer personal documents.

Sitting with the 4ths: Files related to Judge Williams sitting with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, covering most of his years on the bench. These files are organized chronologically.

Holding Court Out of Town: Memoranda and other files related to cases heard by Judge Williams outside the Eastern District of Virginia EDVA.

Miscellaneous files: As its title implies, these files are a mixture of documents, organized in alphabetical order.

Old LC Notes: Digital files containing bench memoranda from Judge Williams' law clerks, and public documents about his cases, covering the years 1981-1992. Many of these files are copies of documents in the official record, such as opinions and orders. Please see: Old LC Notes list in ….

Calendars

Memorabilia – scrapbooks