Dorothy Hairston Mitchell is a District Court Judge in Durham, North Carolina. She was appointed by  Governor Roy Cooper on December 3, 2021, and has been on the bench since January 3, 2022.  

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Judge Mitchell is a proud “double Eagle!” She attended North Carolina Central University (NCCU), where  she graduated cum laude with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science and English. As an  undergraduate student, she served in many leadership roles in Student Government. She competed in  the Model United Nations and served as the college liaison for several state-wide campaigns. Upon  completion of her undergraduate degree, she attended North Carolina Central University School of Law.  While a law student, she served as Class President, and she competed on the Trial Team. She won  several awards for her trial advocacy and leadership skills.  

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Before her appointment to the bench, Judge Mitchell practiced as an attorney for 18 years. She served  our wonderful alma mater as an Associate Clinical Professor and the Supervising Attorney of the Juvenile  Law Clinic. She was a member of the full-time faculty from 2016-2021, but she also taught as an adjunct  professor for many years before while in practice as an attorney. In addition to teaching and  supervising law students in the Juvenile Law Clinic, Judge Mitchell also taught Criminal Law and Abuse,  Neglect, Dependency Law. She was also the Legal Director at the Center for Child & Family Health and  the Director of the NCCU School of Law Social Justice and Racial Equity Institute.  

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Since Judge Mitchell knew early in life, she wanted to be an attorney, she worked in different capacities  in various law firms since she was 16 years old. Immediately after law school, she spent ten (10) years in  private practice representing clients in the areas of Criminal Law, Family Law, Juvenile Delinquency,  Juvenile Abuse, Neglect, Dependency, Workers’ Compensation, Personal Injury, and Bankruptcy. The  bulk of her practice was devoted to representing indigent persons, particularly in the area of Juvenile  Law. In February of 2013, she joined the Durham County Public Defender’s Office, where she primarily  represented parents in Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency cases. She practiced in that office for She has  also served as the defense attorney on the Durham County Adult Drug Treatment Court team for nine  (9) years. In that capacity, she advocated for and represented persons on probation who suffer from  substance abuse issues. She has always had a particular interest in working with children and families by  helping them obtain services to assist them in their overall lives. 

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Judge Mitchell is very active in the legal and broader community. She has represented Durham County  as a North Carolina State Bar Councilor since 2017, where she serves on many committees. She is Chair  of the NC Indigent Defense Services Commission and has been a commissioner since 2016. She has  served on the Durham County Bar Association and the 16th (formerly 14th) Judicial District Bar  Association board since 2007. She previously served as president, vice president, secretary, and she  currently serves as a board director. She is very proud of the work she has done to improve diversity,  equity, and inclusion within all 3 organizations. In each organization, she chaired committees and was  instrumental in implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion statements and plans that were adopted  by each organization, respectively. She is the Vice President of the George H. White Bar Association, 

the minority bar association in Durham, North Carolina whose mission is to provide community service  and bring awareness to Judge Mitchell is also an active member of the North Carolina Association of  Women Attorneys and the Durham Orange Women Attorneys (DOWA).  

 

Judge Mitchell has volunteered as a judge for Durham County Teen Court since 2002. She frequently  teaches Continuing Legal Education courses to other lawyers and judges with the UNC School of  Government and other entities. She is also is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of a local school,  Global Scholars Academy.  

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She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., having been initiated in the Alpha Chi  Chapter in 1999. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 16 years and  2 sons.  

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Judge Mitchell was also previously honored as a NCCU 40 under 40 recipient.