Cassandra Collier-Williams

Question 1

List your judicial experience (courts and years)

Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division 

January 12, 2013 - present

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Question 2

What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?

I am qualified based upon my experience as a Practicing Attorney before being elected to the Bench.  I practiced for over 25 years as a General Practitioner in numerous areas within both criminal and civil law. This includes, but not limited to, handling family law, personal injury, small business, city government, misdemeanor and felony criminal cases.  I practiced in Mayors Courts, Municipal and County Courts, The Court of Appeals and in Federal Court.  I am also licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court.  I owned my own law firm for 12 years prior to being elected Judge and employed attorneys and support staff. My law firm has produced, in addition to my election to the Court of Common Pleas, General Division, a municipal court judge and a Mayor’s Court magistrate. Because of my extensive legal experience I have clear understanding of the criminal defendants, as well as the civil litigants that come before me.  In addition, I know what it is like to practice as an in attorney in the Court where I currently sit as Judge.  I understand the struggle of balancing fighting for your clients, while also managing a law practice.  It is my experience that is the foundation for my judicial philosophy which includes: knowing the law and accurately applying it; having the right temperament to serving as a Judge; being fair and impartial; listening and giving adequate attention to all parties that come before me; running an efficient court; following the best business and ethical practices when it comes to administering justice, learning from mistakes; always being a student of the law; knowing how to adapt to necessary changes; being a leader and not just a follower; and being innovative yet within the guidelines of the law to make sure that justice is received in my Courtroom. 

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Question 3

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

I am running to be re-elected to the Court of Common Pleas, General Division, because I am more than qualified and serving as a Judge is not just a job for me, it is my passion.  I have enjoyed my time on the Court as I have worked to (1) run an efficient Court; (2) dispense justice in a fair and impartial matter to all those who come before me; (3) aid in the rehabilitation of criminal defendants; (4) provide the needed time and attention to the civil matters that come before me (5) serve as a role model to law students and to individuals in general who seek to have careers in the legal field; (6) help mentor new Judges from surrounding areas and across the State and, (7) consider and implement new ideas to better serve all those who come before me.   I have set high standards for myself and for those who work on my staff and all goals have not been reached as there is still more work to be done.  We have 34 Judges that sit on this Court.  I believe my voice is a needed voice for diversity sake and I know that my experience helps to make our Bench better.  My motivation derives from (1) the people that come before me who seek justice; (2) the attorneys that practice before me who fight for justice; (3) the citizens who elected me to serve in 2012 and re-elected me in 2018 to continue the work; (4) the students, whether from elementary, middle school, high school, college or law school who visit my court as they seek inspiration to pursue their dreams of working in the legal field; (5) my staff members that work tirelessly with me to dispense justice; (6) the Judges who sit with me on the Bench; and (7) my family members and friends that constantly encourage me to pursue my passion.  While on the bench I have served on the Mental Health Docket and I currently serve on the Commercial Law Docket.  There is more work to be done and more goals for me to accomplish.  For instance, I would like to find ways to appropriately deal with the situation of juveniles who are increasingly being bound over to the General Division. It is sad and disappointing to see 14- and 15-year-old children standing before me in Court with little to no parental involvement.  For those youth, even up to the age of 21, who come to the General Court and are not convicted of crimes where they must serve mandatory prison time, I want to see more effective programming implemented that helps them to obtain their high school diplomas, attend college or a trade school and become gainfully employed.  I have no desire to see our youth constantly entangled in the criminal justice system.  I want to see and hear more stories of our youth achieving rehabilitation and success.  I believe that there is a significant role the Judiciary can place in this process and I want to help bring that into fruition.  I also want to see more diversity added to our Judicial bench. I know that just by serving on the bench I can encourage more women and people of color to attend law school, become successful practicing attorneys and run to serve on the County Court.

 

It is for all of these reasons that I am running to be re-elected to the Court of Common Pleas, General Division.

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