} font-style: italic; Technically, he is a judicial candidate, having already declared that he intends to run again, but there has been debate in the legal community about whether its proper for judges to function as perpetual candidates, several people of both political parties said in interviews. [6]. color: black; Name as it appears on the ballot: Donna Stroud, Occupation & employer:Chief Judge, NC Court of Appeals. Judge Donna Stroud was sworn in as chief judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals on Jan. 1, 2021. margin-right: 12px; The decision by powerful Republicans to try to unseat Stroud stems, at least in part, from who was appointed the clerk of the Court of Appeals, a plum administrator job, according to screenshots of private conversations among Republicans. } The 2022 North Carolina Appellate Judicial Candidate Forums have been recorded and are now available for viewing. Carli Brosseau is a reporter at The News & Observer who often analyzes databases as part of her work. } External Relations: Moira Delaney Hannah Nelson Caroline Presnell The Court of Appeals is an error-correcting court; this means that we review cases appealed from the trial courts and administrative agencies to determine if any legal error was made. The longer it goes on the more issues remote proceedings raise. Donna Stroud became the chief judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals today. font-weight: 100; 1) Please tell us what in your record as a public official or private citizen demonstrates your ability to be effective, fair, and impartial on the bench? Incumbents are bolded and underlined. My primary opponent has no appellate court experience at all, as either an attorney practicing before the Court or as a judge. width: 250px; } Freshwater Smith ( Republican Party) ran for election for judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. background-color: #003388; We have a very collegial court, which is very important, but it is more difficult to maintain collegiality when everybody is spread out. } Chief Judge Stroud replaces Linda McGee, who retired on Dec. 31, 2020, after serving as chief judge since 2014. One of those justices, Berger, has appeared as a proxy for Freshwater Smith, contributed campaign funds to a PAC that attacked her opponent and suggested in texts and social media messages that the incumbent is insufficiently loyal to the GOP. But there is usually someone who has. Now we pretty much have everybody doing a combination. So we had an orientation session for the new judges, and a lot of our other judges participated in it. top: -1px; padding-left: 8px; WELLSVILLE - William F. Davis, 83, passed away on Wednesday (February 22, 2023) at Maple City Rehabilitation and Nursing Center following a lengthy illness. magna cum laude in 1988. } Director, NCBA External Affairs and Communications, Report on Relationships Between the NCBA and Systemic Racism, Chief Judge Donna Stroud Leading N.C. Court of Appeals. $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { The results have been certified. Their decisions are subject to review by the N.C. Supreme Court, which is charged with final interpretation of the state constitution. max-width: 600px; Chief Judge Donna Stroud has been elected as a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, filling Seat 09, against her opponent Brad Salmon winning 54.60% of the vote. It has helped push us forward on some of the other changes that would be good to have, and not just for this court. letter-spacing: .03em; } .infobox p { I work hard and I am devoted to protecting the integrity of our courts and judicial independence. display: block; On this podcast you'll hear interviews fro background-color: #f9f9f9; .percentage_number { Stroud stayed in private practice from 1988 to 2004 with no intention of becoming a judge, but ultimately decided to run for Wake County District Court in 2004. I think remote arguments will remain as an option, but we have to determine how to do that fairly. Generally all of the judges would be involved it would have taken a lot of time for everyone. Fortunately, during the pandemic, the Court of Appeals was able to continue holding sessions of court by WebEx and issuing its opinions without any shutdown or delay, but the trial courts have faced great challenges. For Seat No. [1], Donna Stroud was born in Kinston, North Carolina. I have considered thousands of cases and written nearly 1300 opinions during my time on the court. Freshwater Smiths campaign has raised roughly twice as much money as Strouds, about $68,000 so far, state records show. } Outgoing Supreme Court Chief Justice . She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. As the medical emergency rooms work to remain open, our legal emergency rooms the trial courts are also having to learn how to deal with this and be accessible going forward. But I have been using my computer to take notes since I was using my Tandy Model 4P from Radio Shack. I have served as a judge on the Court of Appeals since I was first elected in 2006; I was re-elected without opposition in 2014, and I was appointed as Chief Judge as of January 2021. We are looking at what we have learned, especially in the past year, and where we can improve things. She was born and raised in Kinston, NC, and attended Campbell University School of Law, graduating first in her class in 1988. Some attorneys would rather get a case done sooner with a remote argument, and others would rather wait. I would have loved to have had all 15 here, which we would have done in normal circumstances. Get voter registration information, where to vote and other voter information. width: 100%; 2) How do you define yourself politically? .widget-row.heading { Justice Antonin Scalia is one of my judicial heroes. Public financing did dramatically reduce contributions from attorneys who appear before the courts and from special interest groups. .inner_percentage.CrossFiled { See also: North Carolina judicial elections, 2014 State legislature | And he looked a little surprised, and said, I dont know. Please try again later. The AOC videographers did a great job on the video and our IT people here helped coordinate everything. } [2][5], .votebox { We have been able to do our arguments and it works out; obviously it is much easier to use remote options in the appellate court than in the trial courts. However, the United States Supreme Court held certain crucial provisions of public financing plans to be unconstitutional, leading to the end of North Carolinas public financing program. .widget-row.Green { I try to follow his example in his approach to cases as an originalist and textualist. Our judges presented on different topics; it was basically a CJE (continuing judicial education) for our new judges, but I think we all learned a lot. Working remotely has not impaired our ability to get our opinions done. Election Integrity; Combatting Critical Race Theory; NC Republican Hispanic Coalition; Frederick Douglass Foundation; Judicial Victory Fund; North Carolina . I have worked directly with nearly 50 other judges during my time on the Court of Appeals, and I have worked with and appeared before hundreds of others at either the trial court level or appellate level. color: black; I represented individuals, businesses, and towns in many types of cases, civil and criminal, in many different counties and courts. } } font-size: 0.9em; | .widget-key { Integrity. NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 9: Beth Freshwater-Smith (Republican), Donna Stroud (Republican) NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 10: Gale Murray Adams (Democrat), John M. Tyson (Republican) Just two years later, she was elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, where she would be appointed as Chief Judge in 2021. All Things Judicial is a podcast about the important role of the North Carolina Judicial Branch in state government. Shutdowns of courts during the pandemic led to backlogs of cases in many courts and in some instances the delays have meant that people must wait for months or years simply to have a case heard. She is a graduate of Campbell University, summa cum laude, with a BA in Government in 1985, and a graduate of the Campbell University School of Law, with a Elections are just a very difficult time for people involved in the court in a lot of ways. It will also provide data which will allow more detailed analysis of the work of the trial courts; this will allow better utilization of personnel and assets and will help us determine areas where we can make improvements. what states require consummation of marriage; new milford ct police scanner; reply to opposition to motion to compel california; environmental opportunities and threats in business; text-align: center; })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. We went over our procedures and how we do things opinion writing and the ways we manage chambers, especially now that we have the in-person model and the remote model. top: 2px; Now, with most people working remotely, even if a new judge is here working, there may be no one else in the office. Commission Members in Attendance in Person: Mike Mitchell, Attorney, Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, LLP . I knew Campbell was set up very well for pandemic restrictions because I teach there. She is running for re-election to continue her work enforcing the law as written, upholding the Constitutions of the United States and North Carolina, and ensuring our state courts enforce laws as they are written and every person in every case is treated fairly. display: inline-block; overflow-y: hidden; } North Carolina Conservative Judges Chief Judge Donna Stroud Wednesday, July 20, 2022 Judge Stroud currently serves as Chief Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

   .contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} Apply today! } 	margin-bottom: 0;  Here at the Court of Appeals at end of the year, we were all working just as hard as we could trying to get our opinions done  which we managed to do  and again at that point the election is still up in the air. We can use the experiences from the pandemic as an opportunity to see how we might do things differently and better in the future. In 1982, as a senior at Kinston High School, she won the first essay contest conducted by the NCBA Young Lawyers Division in conjunction with its Law Day celebration.   Wood Trey Allen NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 9 (Republican) Beth Freshwater Smith Donna Stroud NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 11 (Republican) Michael J. I follow the law as it has been established by the General Assembly, prior cases from the Court of Appeals, or cases from the North Carolina Supreme Court or United States Supreme Court, depending upon the issues presented. The committees and groups I have been involved with give opportunities to learn, and not just with substantive areas of law. Justice Berger, as well as some Republican Court of Appeals judges and legislators, has posted a sample ballot with the names of those three candidates circled in red on social media. May 18, 2021 Donna Stroud was sworn in as chief judge of the NC Court of Appeals on January 1, 2021, replacing the iconic Linda McGee, who retired at the end of last year. Right now the Administrative Office of the Courts is working on eCourts, an electronic filing system for the trial courts in the entire state. We are a statewide court, with some judges farther east and some judges farther west, so it is not a new thing for our judges to do writing and research remotely, although most of our judges who live outside this area have typically spent a substantial part of their time in chambers in Raleigh.  It was after the election when the results were still undetermined, and we didnt really know what was going to happen or when. She did not directly answer a question about why that language was featured in her ad. Eugene Soar, a longtime court employee who changed his registration to unaffiliated from Democrat in October 2009, was awarded the job last year.  	padding-left: 10px; , WRAL multiplatform producer. } Chief Judge Donna S. Stroud has been formally invested as Chief Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals during a swearing-in ceremony. Research: Josh Altic  Vojsava Ramaj I would type my notes so I could read them and find them. .widget-row.Libertarian { That is probably true. Will a warm February mean a brutal spring or summer? We have talked several times in this short time since we have taken on our new roles, looking at various areas and making sure we know all the things that need to be taken care of, and we will continue to do this. We have to be fair and impartial in reviewing what the Legislature has donethat is our job under the Constitution, she said. 	color: #fff; In 2004, she was elected to the Wake County District Court (10th Judicial District), where she served until her election to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2006. She was elected to the court after working as a lawyer and serving as a Wake County District Court judge. 132-1.4A (g) must file a civil action, not a form petition. Candidates for NC Court of Appeals seat 9. .votebox_legend { We have so much that comes from Juvenile Court, and at least two of our judges were Juvenile Court judges. The eCourts system will improve public access for both filing and obtaining information from the courts. 		overflow-x: scroll; The past two years in North Carolina have shown us how important it is to elect strong conservatives to our Courts. $(".expand-all").on('click', () => { Judge Donna Stroud | Raleigh NC 	height: 100%; } I have an LLM degree from Duke University School of Law in Judicial Studies, and I have been teaching Judicial Process at Campbell University School of Law since 2008. .race_header { And we have other judges who were Superior Court judges and others who have experience in other areas, which is helpful for all of us. Paid for by the Judge Donna Stroud Re-Election Committee. } Article I, section 18 of the North Carolina Constitution guarantees access to the courts: "All courts shall be open; every person for an injury done him in his lands, goods, person, or reputation shall have remedy by due course of law; and right and justice shall be administered without favor, denial, or delay." With two tight races certified, NC Republicans fall one vote short of total control. $('.pastResponses').hide(); } She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. 	color: #888; 	margin-bottom: -2px !important; .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h5.votebox-header-election-type { State executives | A political action committee called True Conservative Judges is also pouring money with hard-to-source origins into the Stroud-Freshwater Smith primary race as well as two other Republican judicial primaries. Name:Donna Stroud Political party:Republican Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 58 Campaign website:www.JudgeStroud.com Occupation:Chief Judge, NC Court of Appeals Education:1985, Campbell University, BA . She did a lot for our court, encouraging our collegiality and giving everybody an opportunity to participate. I told the new judges that we probably raised more questions than we answered, but when you are starting out you may not even know what to ask. Thank you for your message. Donna Stroud | Republican Place of Residence: Garner, NC Education: 2014, LL.M., Judicial Studies, Duke Law School; 1988, J.D., Campbell Law School, ranked 1st in class; 1985, B.A., summa cum laude, Campbell University Occupation: Chief Judge Employer: Court of Appeals Date Admitted to the Bar: 1988 Legal/Judicial Experience: The Democraticprimary election was canceled. We used one of their nice big classrooms, so our students were all spread out as were the other judges who were participating and doing presentations. Berger did not respond to a phone call, text messages or emails seeking comment. Judge Allison Riggs will be formally invested as Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals on Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 3:30 p.m. By North Carolina Judicial Branch. In addition to offering a formal endorsement, he has given at least one speech at a political event as her proxy. For example, I am also Chair of the Chief Justices Rules Advisory Committee, and we have been working on rule changes needed for e-filing for a couple of years. 	font-style: italic; Judge Stroud currently serves as Chief Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. We have some of our judges who are very tech savvy  Judge Dietz is definitely our leader in that regard. 	background-color: #6db24f; Stroud has served for 15 years on the Court of Appeals, where she has written over 1,200 . Stroud ascended to chief judge amid a series of recounts in a close race between former Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, now a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, and current Chief Justice Paul Newby, a Republican. .inner_percentage.Green {        .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;} $('.hideResponses').hide(); As noted above, my goal is to protect public confidence and trust in the courts. 	display: inline-block;  We also know we have a big challenge coming for the trial courts, which are already facing a huge challenge from dealing with the pandemic. Some Republicans were upset that a majority of Court of Appeals judges voted to name a clerk who was not a Republican when there are twice the number of Republican judges on the court as Democrats. 	position: relative; But now it is expanding to the trial courts and eventually it will come here, which is exciting. I am running for re-election to the seat to which  I was first elected in 2006 and re-elected without opposition in 2014. Normally the way it would happen, and the way it happened for me, is that you would run down the hall and talk to people, ask questions, and learn from everybody here. } 		} Get the latest on Chief Judge Donna Strouds re-election campaign. .results_row td:first-child { March 13, 1939 - February 22, 2023. I am a Constitutional conservative judge with proven track record of 15 years on the Court of Appeals. Chief Judge Donna Strouds long-time service, deep-seated experience, and judicial soul make her an excellent servant on the appellate court. A collegial court is not a given, so we are very fortunate here to have a long tradition of collegiality and we intend to continue that tradition. What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state? 	color: white; I also serve on several commissions and groups devoted to improving North Carolinas courts, such as the Courts Commission, the Family Court Advisory Commission, the Chief Justices Commission on Professionalism, and as Chair of the Chief Justices Rules Advisory Commission. Chief Judge Donna Stroud Judge Chris Dillon Judge John Tyson Judge Valerie Zachary Judge Hunter Murphy Judge John Arrowood Judge Allegra Collins Judge Toby Hampson Judge Jeffery Carpenter Judge April Wood Judge Fred Gore Judge Jefferson Griffin Judge Julee Flood Judge Michael Stading So I went to the IT person and told him that I know there is a network with the big computers on it, and I need my laptop connected so I can save orders and notes on it. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper .image-candidate-thumbnail { 	margin-top: 16px; $('.collapse').collapse('show');  .results_row { 	display: table; 	} [2][3][4], Stroud began her legal career in 1988 with the law firm Kirk, Gay, Kirk, Gwynn & Howell. One of the most-talked about races is for the North Carolina District 11 seat in the US Congress, currently held by Republican Madison Cawthorn. When I ran for District Court in 2004, I had to raise money for my election. .votebox-covid-disclaimer { 	margin-bottom: 0px; 	left: 0; On Dec. 6, District Court Judge Beth Freshwater Smith filed paperwork that officially made her a candidate for the North Carolina Court of Appeals. But a photograph of the chief justice standing next to Freshwater Smith is featured prominently in an ad posted on her campaign Facebook page. And we have five new judges, which as far as I can tell is the largest percentage of the court turning over at one time since it was created. Republican incumbent and North Carolina native Stroud has served on the North Carolina Court of Appeals since 2006.  Source. 	font-weight: 200; Name: Donna Stroud Political party: Republican Age as of Nov. 8, 2022:58 Campaign website:www.judgestroud.com Occupation:Chief judge, NC Court of Appeals Education: Campbell University, BA in . background-color: white; Personal Facebook. 	color:white; Her current term ends on January 1, 2031. 	margin-bottom: 4px; .widget-row.Republican { The way it has worked in the past at the Court of Appeals is normally we have one or two new judges, and we dont have a formal training program. 	background-color: #6db24f; These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. Freshwater Smith, a longtime prosecutor who has served as a district court judge since 2016 in Wilson, Nash and Edgecombe counties, calls herself a Christian conservative. Many experienced judges have retired or left the Court in recent years, and all but 3 of the 15 judges on the Court are in their first term; five have served just over a year. Donna Stroud (Republican Party) is a judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. 100% remote. @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { } At some point the new statewide electronic filing system is going to extend to the appellate courts. 	color: #888; 	font-weight: bold; In the future I believe remote arguments will remain as an option. 	font-size: 12px; Heres what we know so far. Some who have worked for years in GOP politics. The messages say an attorney who clerked for Berger and two other Court of Appeals judges was among those passed over. This is a collegial court and everyone works well together. Not all 15 members participated because of time and limitations of space and distance. 	word-wrap: break-word; North Carolina Court of Appeals Judges Biographies. It has been sent. This year, with eight new justices and judges to be sworn in, if both appellate courts had done the usual in-person events, January would have been a very busy month, but our usual events were just not possible.