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| About Your Candidate  Don Williams for County Court Judge | | Former Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams was born in Kingston, NY, only a few blocks from the Ulster County Courthouse and has remained a lifelong resident. After attending Seton Hall where he received a B.A. in History in 1975, Williams attended Albany Law School. Upon graduation in 1979, he was hired as an Assistant District Attorney, embarking on a career path that would become his life's calling. As a career prosecutor, Williams began prosecuting misdemeanors and felonies in Kingston City Court and Ulster County Court and four short years later, in 1983, was appointed Chief Assistant District Attorney by then District Attorney Michael Kavanagh. After serving as the Chief Assistant for 16 years, he was appointed District Attorney in February, 1999 by Governor Pataki and was elected to that position in November, 1999. Mr. Williams was reelected to that post after being cross endorsed in 2003. | |
| As District Attorney, Mr. Williams not only supervised a staff of 20 lawyers and oversaw the prosecution of over 4,600 cases yearly, but personally prosecuted in excess of 1,000 major felonies, handling over 50 felony jury trials, while maintaining a 95% conviction rate. In 1995, Williams joined District Attorney Michael Kavanagh in prosecuting People v Larry Whitehurst, the first capital prosecution in New York State. In addition to his courtroom and administrative responsibilities, he helped establish the DWI Impact Panel, the Ulster County Drug Court, Ulster County's Domestic Violence Court, designed to handle cases of domestic violence, prepared legal forms utilized throughout the State in DWI prosecutions and organized and administered the Ulster County Major Offense, Career Criminal, Target Crime Initiative Program. He also served as a member and advisor on numerous Ulster County task forces and advisory boards including the Arson Task Force, Task Force versus Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse Management Team, Criminal Justice Options Task Force also known as the Alternative to Incarceration Program, Preventions Connection and the Ulster County Underage Drinking Prevention Team.
Since 1983, Mr. Williams has been a frequent speaker and guest lecturer participating in training seminars and panel discussions, sharing his wide ranging knowledge of criminal law and courtroom practice and procedure with a host of law enforcement agencies and related personnel. He also is a frequent guest lecturer at local colleges, high schools and elementary schools speaking on a host of issues including violence in the schools, drug and alcohol abuse and the role of the District Attorney. Over the years, Mr. Williams has been the recipient of numerous honors, awards and certificates of appreciation. To name just a few, in 2005, he was named the NYS Arson Prosecutor of the Year; in 2001, he received the Alton Lewis award for the arson/murder prosecution of Adam Roberts; in 1999, he was made an honorary member of the Police Chiefs' Benevolent Association and every year from 1998 through 2001, he received the Ulster BOCES "School to Community Program Award." In 1995, he received an Exceptional Duty Award from the Town of Ulster Police Department and Ulster County Legislature's Pride of Ulster County Award for contributions in establishing the DWI Impact Panel. Finally, Mr. Williams has been involved in a number of community organizations. Since 1994, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Rip Van Winkle Council, Boy Scouts of America and from 1991-1994 was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association.  Don Williams with Mayor Giuliani and Senator Bonacic
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