Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. was nominated by President Bill Clinton to serve on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. Following his confirmation by the United States Senate, Judge Williams served as a federal judge from September 2, 1994, to January 3, 2014.

Prior to his appointment to the federal bench, Judge Williams was Chairman of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. Subsequently, Judge Williams served two terms from 1987 to 1994 as the elected State's Attorney for Prince George's County, Maryland. Judge Williams is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Judge Alexander Williams, Jr., Center for Education, Justice, and Ethics, Inc.

Judge Williams is a native of Washington, D.C. and has practiced law in the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Judge Williams teaches at the Howard Law School and previously taught at the Howard University School of Divinity. He has served the public in various capacities throughout Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area, including as Chair of the seven-member Commission to Restore Integrity in Policing (for Baltimore City) which issued its final report on December 2, 2020. Judge Williams also served in 2021 as co-chair of the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission, served for eight years (2015-2023) as the Chair of the Maryland Appellate Nominating Commission, is Vice Chairman of the University of Maryland Medical System Board of Directors, and serves as Chairman of the University of Maryland Capital Region Hospital Board of Directors.

In addition to his judicial, professorial, and community service, Judge Williams has lectured and participated in numerous conferences abroad including visits to Sofia, Bulgaria; Vitoria, Brazil; and to the region of Hong Kong, as well as to the provinces of Guangzhou and Beijing in China.  Judge Williams was part of a joint inspection team sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of State to assess issues of justice in Liberia following that country’s civil war. During that assignment in Liberia, he was invited to lecture at the Grimes School of Law, located on the campus of the University of Liberia. Judge Williams has also participated in several international seminars on judicial independence and other rule of law issues, attending conferences in Accra, Ghana; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Bamako, Mali.

Judge Williams is a graduate of Howard University, where he earned a B.A. in Government; a M.A.R.S. (Master of Arts in Religious Studies); and a J.D. (cum laude). Judge Williams is also a graduate of Temple University where he earned an M.A. in Religion/Ethics.

Judge Williams is married to the former Joyce Elizabeth Fields of Columbus, Ohio, and they are the proud parents of three sons and eleven grandchildren.