Who is Judging You in North Carolina?

 Whether you were injured in a car wreck, fighting over real estate, charged with a crime or in the midst of a messy divorce, you might ultimately find yourself in front of a judge who has the power to decide important issues that could determine the outcome of your case. North Carolina is one of many states that select the judiciary by general election. The problem is many voters never have the opportunity to learn about the candidates or make an informed decision. The truth is Judges do not have the funding to campaign like other candidates and as a result their message never reaches the majority of voters.

Obviously most lawyers follow the judicial elections much closer than the general public and usually have some insight into the candidate's qualifications. The Hull & Chandler Law Firm has taken a close look at the state wide judicial elections in North Carolina and has comprised a following list of candidates for support:

NC Supreme Court

Judge Robert C. "Bob" Hunter (Brady seat)

NC Court of Appeals

Judge Rick Elmore (incumbent)
Judge Martha Geer (incumbent)
Judge Jane Gray (Calabria seat)
Judge Sanford Steelman (incumbent; unopposed)

NC Court of Appeals (Wynn seat - 13 candidate "instant runoff" race)

#1 choice - Judge Cressie Thigpen
#2 choice - Stan Hammer
#3 choice - Harry Payne

The decision to support these candidates was made based upon our review of the candidate's experience, judicial history, prior opinions/decisions and endorsements of other legal organizations in North Carolina. We also feel the philosophy of these candidates most closely aligns with the rights and needs of our clients.