Fair Judges NC

A CALL TO ACTION FOR NORTH CAROLINA BAR MEMBERS

Fair Judges For North Carolina

Balance Of Power

For the rule of law to remain strong, North Carolina’s Supreme Court and Court of Appeals must act as meaningful checks on legislative overreach and protect the integrity of our elections. Instead, current legislative leaders have used extreme gerrymandering to secure supermajorities, override gubernatorial vetoes, and undermine the independence of the judiciary. They have worked to place political and ideological allies on the appellate bench, producing court majorities that have reversed precedents the legislature opposed—including rulings on partisan gerrymandering and the constitutional mandate to adequately fund public education under Leandro.

As a result, our appellate courts no longer consistently demonstrate a commitment to acting “without favor, denial, or delay,” nor to serving as a truly independent branch of government.

At the same time, the U.S. Supreme Court’s weakening of the Voting Rights Act has placed even greater responsibility on state courts. We are at a critical moment: without judges firmly committed to the rule of law, fair elections, and judicial independence, our democracy and fundamental rights are at risk.

The Counterweight

Fair Judges for N.C. seeks to organize leaders within the legal community to serve as a counterweight—holding judges accountable and educating both the Bar and the public about what is at stake. By providing clear, trusted information about judicial candidates and the issues before the courts, Fair Judges for N.C. aims to inform public understanding and strengthen accountability in statewide judicial elections and beyond.

Our Leadership

Fair Judges NC Steering Committee:

Hon. Patricia Timmons-Goodson, former N.C. Supreme Court Justice
Hon. Robin Hudson, former N.C. Supreme Court Justice
Hon. Tom Ross, former Superior Court Judge
Hon. Mary Ann Tally, former Superior Court Judge
Hon. Leslie Winner, former state Senator
Hon. Jim Deal, former Chair of the Watauga County Commissioners
John R. Wester, former President of the N.C. Bar Association
Suzanne Reynolds, Dean Emerita, Wake Forest University School of Law
Brad Wilson, CEO Emeritus, BlueCross BlueShield of NC
Ted Fillette, former Assistant Director of Legal Aid of North Carolina
H. Gerald Beaver, Esq.
Martin Brinkley, former Dean of the U.N.C. School of Law
Hon. James Exum, former Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court
Jack Boger, Emeritus Professor and former Dean of the UNC School of Law
Hon. Cheri Beasley, former Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court
Hon. Charles Becton, former judge N.C. Court of Appeals
Rebecca Britton, former president of N.C. Advocates for Justice
Edward G. Connette, former Board of Governors, N.C. Bar Association
Hon. Margaret Dickson, former N.C. Senator
Hon. James Exum, former Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court
Hon. Rick Glazier, former state Representative
Hon. Wib Gulley, former state Senator
Hon. Ester Manheimer, mayor of Asheville
Hon. Charles W. McGrady, former state Representative
Eddie Speas, former Chief Deputy N.C. Attorney General
Hon. Julian Mann, III, former Chief Administrative Law Judge
Hon. Bill Freeman, N.C. Superior Court judge, retired
David Kirby, Esq.
David Teddy, Esq.
Dan McLamb, Esq.
Hon. Colon Willoughby, former president of the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys
Bonnie Weyher, former president of N.C. State Bar

NC Judicial Reform Proposal

State courts — especially the North Carolina Supreme Court — are often the final arbiters of critical issues that shape our daily lives, including voting rights, fair elections, public education, and civil liberties. They also ensure that disputes between businesses and their customers and employees are resolved fairly and in accordance with the law, and that people charged with crimes receive fair trials. North Carolinians should expect their courts and judges to be fair, impartial, and independent, as the North Carolina Constitution requires. Yet a series of actions by the legislature and the state Supreme Court Chief Justice are undermining that expectation. These include making judicial elections partisan, limiting appeals, loosening restrictions on judges’ political activity, and giving politicians greater power over the Judicial Standards Commission. In addition, the state judiciary lacks clear, transparent ethical standards governing conflicts of interest and recusals.

Simple, common-sense reforms can help enhance public confidence in our state courts:

Make judicial elections nonpartisan again or remove barriers that prevent judicial candidates from running as independents rather than forcing affiliation with a political party.
Ban judges from partisan activity, such as political fundraising and endorsing candidates, when they are not on the ballot.
Establish clear ethics rules on recusals that bar judges from hearing cases involving family members or businesses in which they have a financial interest.
Clarify that “fair elections” is a guarantee under the state Constitution, and that state courts can and should curb politicians from gerrymandering districts with the intent to disenfranchise voters based on race, religion, or political affiliation.
Require the state Supreme Court to issue rulings within 12 months of hearing a case.
Return attorneys elected by the State Bar to the Judicial Standards Commission and increase transparency in the commission’s proceedings.
Restore the right of appeal to the state Supreme Court based on a dissent at the Court of Appeals.