The North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys Judicial Endorsement Committee is pleased to announce its initial endorsements for the 2006 Election Cycle. 

The JEC Committee follows set criteria and procedures in making endorsements.  The committee endorses a candidate for judicial office based on the following criteria:  (1) the candidate’s legal skill and ability; (2) the candidate’s experience as a professional and in the community; (3) the candidate’s temperament and demeanor for a judicial position; and (4) the candidate’s support for women in the legal profession, the rights of women under the law and other organizational positions. 

The committee evaluates each candidate for a race and conducts a thorough investigation.  The investigation specifically includes interviewing practitioners about the candidates, both those that the candidate has listed as references and others in the relevant community.  For candidates who have already served as appellate judges, the investigation includes reading their opinions.  The procedure is thorough and the committee takes its obligation to investigate seriously. 

For 2006, the Judicial Endorsement Committee endorses the following: (candidates with a “**” by their name face a primary on Tuesday, May 2)

NORTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT

Chief Justice:

Sarah Parker

Associate Justice:

Mark D. Martin

Associate Justice:

Patricia Timmons-Goodson

Associate Justice:

** Robin Hudson

NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS

** Robert C. Hunter

** Linda Stephens

SUPERIOR COURT

District 10B

Ripley Rand

District 15B

** Carl R. Fox

** Adam Stein

District 18C

Susan E. Bray

District 19C

** Marshall Bickett

District 26B

Robert P. Johnston

District 27A

Jesse B. Caldwell

DISTRICT COURT

District 1

** Eula E. Reid

District 10

Joyce Hamilton

Vince Rozier

Kristin Ruth

Anne B. Salisbury

District 12

Cheri Beasley

Talmage Baggett

David H. Hasty

A. Elizabeth Keever

Robert Stiehl

District 14

** Nancy E. Gordon

** Ann McKown

Marcia H. Morey

District 18

Susan O’Hale

District 26

Rickye McKoy-Mitchell

District 28

Sharon Barrett

Patricia Kaufmann Young

Note, additional endorsements may be forthcoming. 

** The North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys Judicial Endorsement Committee is a registered political action committee that makes non-partisan endorsements in judicial races only.  The JEC board is elected separately from the NCAWA board. 

Submitted by:    Stella A. Boswell

                        Chair, NCAWA Judicial Endorsement Committee