. ▁Williams ▁was ▁a ▁part - time ▁United ▁States ▁Mag istr ate ▁Judge ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Western ▁District ▁of ▁Virginia ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁Williams ▁ran ▁as ▁the ▁Republican ▁nom ine e ▁for ▁Congress ▁in ▁Virginia ' s ▁N inth ▁District ▁but ▁lost ▁to ▁the ▁inc umb ent , ▁W . ▁Pat ▁Jenn ings . ▁ ▁Federal ▁jud icial ▁service ▁ ▁Williams ▁was ▁a ▁federal ▁judge ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Western ▁District ▁of ▁Virginia . ▁Williams ▁was ▁nominated ▁by ▁President ▁Ger ald ▁Ford ▁on ▁September ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁to ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Western ▁District ▁of ▁Virginia ▁vac ated ▁by ▁Judge ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t ▁Dal ton , ▁after ▁Senator ▁William ▁L . ▁Scott ▁der a iled ▁the ▁nom ination ▁of ▁the ▁President ' s ▁first ▁choice . ▁He ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁and ▁received ▁his ▁commission ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁He ▁assumed ▁senior ▁status ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁Williams ▁took ▁in active ▁senior ▁status ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Law ▁cler ks ▁ ▁Williams ' ▁former ▁law ▁cler ks ▁include ▁C yn th ia ▁D . ▁Kin ser , ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁Chief