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Elizabeth "Liz" Williams
Liz Williams
opening screenshot of Public Defender Liz Williams, as played by Paula Kelly on the series.
Vital statistics
Birthplace New York City, U.S.
Occupation/
Career:
Public Defender, Manhattan Municipal Court, NYC
Character
description:
Dedicated defense attorney in the show's first season; was replaced by Billie Young in Season 2
Appearances/Series information
Appeared on: Night Court
Episode(s)
appeared in:
12 in series, most of Season 1
Played by: Paula Kelly

Elizabeth "Liz" Williams was a public defender at the Manhattan Criminal Court for most of the first season. The part of Liz is played in 12 of the 13 episodes of Season 1 by Paula Kelly.

About Liz[]

Prior to the arrival of Mac Robinson on the series, Liz was the "normal", or level-headed character on the show. Liz replaced the original public defender, Sheila Gardiner, who was played by Gail Strickland in the series' pilot episode.

A dedicated defense attorney, Liz often served more of the calming, comforting effect on the rest of the court staff, and the voice of reason as when Bull had to contemplate what to do when a neighbor and friend leaves her infant son for him to babysit and disappears for four days in the episode "Bull's Baby" in Season 1 (episode #12).

With the departure of Paula Kelly, who played the role of Liz, the character would eventually be replaced by a series of temporary attorneys early in Season 2 which included the first appearance of Christine Sullivan (Markie Post) in the episode "Christine and Mac (a.k.a. Daddy for the Defense)" (episode #2), as the job would be eventually assumed for the remainder of the Season 2 by Billie Young (Ellen Foley) in the very next episode "Billie and the Cat" (episode #4).

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