{"id":7,"date":"2026-05-12T16:29:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T16:29:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/?page_id=7"},"modified":"2026-09-01T20:09:59","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T20:09:59","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7\" class=\"elementor elementor-7\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c6af7f2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c6af7f2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cbfe112 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cbfe112\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"e-image-base e-59c64a2-6063e36\" 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class=\"e-n-menu-title-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab5c591 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ab5c591\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h6 data-interaction-id=\"7f86435\" class=\"e-7f86435-babe574 e-heading-base\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"7f86435\">A CALL TO ACTION FOR NORTH CAROLINA BAR MEMBERS<\/h6>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<hr class=\"e-5746f8e-c9367e7 e-divider-base\" data-interaction-id=\"5746f8e\"  data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"5746f8e\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"52d2afb\" class=\"e-52d2afb-10b9708 e-heading-base\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"52d2afb\">Fair Judges For North Carolina<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90bf4c1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"90bf4c1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-edc475a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"edc475a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"e-image-base e-435ddd5-009fa72\" data-interaction-id=\"435ddd5\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"435ddd5\" id=\"101\" src=\"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ncseal.webp\" width=\"2250\" height=\"2250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ncseal.webp 2250w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ncseal-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ncseal-1024x1024.webp 1024w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ncseal-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ncseal-768x768.webp 768w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ncseal-1536x1536.webp 1536w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ncseal-2048x2048.webp 2048w\" alt=\"\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"d97d27f\" class=\"e-d97d27f-e12a399 e-heading-base\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"d97d27f\">Balance Of Power<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-67a90bf-a0dc5b9 e-paragraph-base\" data-interaction-id=\"67a90bf\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"67a90bf\">For the rule of law to remain strong, North Carolina\u2019s 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\u2014including rulings on partisan gerrymandering and the constitutional mandate to adequately fund public education under<strong> Leandro.<\/strong><br><br>As a result, our appellate courts no longer consistently demonstrate a commitment to acting \u201cwithout favor, denial, or delay,\u201d nor to serving as<strong> a truly independent branch of government.<\/strong><br><br>At the same time, the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s weakening of the Voting Rights Act has placed even greater responsibility on state courts. <strong>We are at a critical moment: <\/strong>without judges firmly committed to the rule of law, fair elections, and judicial independence, our democracy and fundamental rights are at risk.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2b113c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f2b113c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"41407ca\" class=\"e-41407ca-cf868c5 e-heading-base\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"41407ca\">The Counterweight<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-218665a-2522bd8 e-paragraph-base\" data-interaction-id=\"218665a\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"218665a\">Fair Judges for N.C. seeks to organize leaders within the legal community to serve as a counterweight\u2014holding 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.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d66cec0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"d66cec0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"signup\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- Begin Constant Contact Active Forms -->\r\n<script> var _ctct_m = \"86ebf3cba3a5daf8d79c7192fbe672ea\"; <\/script>\r\n<script id=\"signupScript\" src=\"\/\/static.ctctcdn.com\/js\/signup-form-widget\/current\/signup-form-widget.min.js\" async defer><\/script>\r\n<!-- End Constant Contact Active Forms -->\r\n<!-- Begin Constant Contact Inline Form Code -->\r\n<div class=\"ctct-inline-form\" data-form-id=\"bb48cde2-d8d4-4ec6-a217-56d9aeb94bb9\"><\/div>\r\n<!-- End Constant Contact Inline Form Code -->\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8dd3e8e e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-3dca008 \" data-id=\"8dd3e8e\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"8dd3e8e\" id=\"leadership\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-id=\"8dd3e8e\">\n    \t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"ed9d023\" class=\"e-ed9d023-62a12d7 e-heading-base\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"ed9d023\">Our Leadership<\/h2>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db0486f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"db0486f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de48391 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"de48391\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Fair Judges NC Steering Committee:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><em><strong>Hon. Patricia Timmons-Goodson<\/strong>, former N.C. Supreme Court Justice<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>Hon. Robin Hudson<\/strong>, former N.C. Supreme Court Justice<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>Hon. Tom Ross<\/strong>, former Superior Court Judge<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>Hon. Mary Ann Tally<\/strong>, former Superior Court Judge<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>Hon. Leslie Winner<\/strong>, former state Senator<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>Hon. Jim Deal<\/strong>, former Chair of the Watauga County Commissioners<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>John R. Wester<\/strong>, former President of the N.C. Bar Association<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>Suzanne Reynolds<\/strong>, Dean Emerita, Wake Forest University School of Law<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>Brad Wilson<\/strong>, CEO Emeritus, BlueCross BlueShield of NC<\/em><\/li><li><em><strong>Ted Fillette<\/strong>, former Assistant Director of Legal Aid of North Carolina<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>H. Gerald Beaver<\/em><\/strong><em>, Esq.<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Martin Brinkley<\/em><\/strong><em>, former Dean of the U.N.C. School of Law<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. James Exum<\/em><\/strong><em>, former Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court\u00a0<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Jack Boger<\/em><\/strong><em>, Emeritus Professor and former Dean of the UNC School of Law<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Cheri Beasley<\/em><\/strong><em>, former Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Charles Becton<\/em><\/strong><em>, former judge N.C. Court of Appeals<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Rebecca Britton<\/em><\/strong><em>, former president of N.C. Advocates for Justice<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Edward G. Connette<\/em><\/strong><em>, former Board of Governors, N.C. Bar Association<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Margaret Dickson<\/em><\/strong><em>, former N.C. Senator\u00a0<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. James Exum<\/em><\/strong><em>, former Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court\u00a0<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Rick Glazier<\/em><\/strong><em>, former state Representative<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Wib Gulley<\/em><\/strong><em>, former state Senator\u00a0<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Ester Manheimer<\/em><\/strong><em>, mayor of Asheville\u00a0<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Charles W. McGrady<\/em><\/strong><em>, former state Representative<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Eddie Speas<\/em><\/strong><em>, former\u00a0Chief Deputy N.C. Attorney General<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Julian Mann, III<\/em><\/strong><em>, former Chief Administrative Law Judge<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Bill Freeman<\/em><\/strong><em>, N.C. Superior Court judge, retired<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>David Kirby<\/em><\/strong><em>, Esq.<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>David Teddy<\/em><\/strong><em>, Esq.\u00a0<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Dan McLamb<\/em><\/strong><em>, Esq.<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Hon. Colon Willoughby<\/em><\/strong><em>, former president of the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys<\/em><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong><em>Bonnie Weyher<\/em><\/strong><em>, former president of N.C. State Bar<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7609133 e-con e-atomic-element e-flexbox-base e-e0023f7 \" data-id=\"7609133\" data-element_type=\"e-flexbox\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-interaction-id=\"7609133\" id=\"reform\" data-e-type=\"e-flexbox\" data-id=\"7609133\">\n    <div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a1fceda e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a1fceda\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"8ae92fb\" class=\"e-8ae92fb-4e3ab8f e-heading-base\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"8ae92fb\">NC Judicial Reform Proposal<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54b2895 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"54b2895\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>State courts \u2014 especially the North Carolina Supreme Court \u2014 are often the final arbiters of critical issues that shape our daily lives, including voting rights, fair elections, public education, and civil liberties.<\/strong> 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\u2019 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.<\/span><\/p><p><strong>Simple, common-sense reforms can help enhance public confidence in our state courts:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Make judicial elections nonpartisan again<\/strong> or remove barriers that prevent judicial candidates from running as independents rather than forcing affiliation with a political party.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Ban judges from partisan activity<\/strong>, such as political fundraising and endorsing candidates, when they are not on the ballot.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Establish clear ethics rules on recusals<\/strong> that bar judges from hearing cases involving family members or businesses in which they have a financial interest.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Clarify that \u201cfair elections\u201d is a guarantee under the state Constitution<\/strong>, 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.<\/span><\/li><li><strong>Require the state Supreme Court to issue rulings within 12 months of hearing a case.<\/strong><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Return attorneys elected by the State Bar to the Judicial Standards Commission<\/strong> and increase transparency in the commission\u2019s proceedings.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Restore the right of appeal to the state Supreme Court<\/strong> based on a dissent at the Court of Appeals.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8306024 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8306024\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6da6cb4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6da6cb4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 data-interaction-id=\"eedab8e\" class=\"e-eedab8e-fc304cd e-heading-base\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"eedab8e\">\u00a9 2026 Fair Judges NC. All Rights Reserved.<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c93f1fb e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c93f1fb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 data-interaction-id=\"3a46da5\" class=\"e-3a46da5-5b6db2f e-heading-base\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"3a46da5\">FAIR JUDGES&nbsp;NC IS A PROJECT OF JUSTICE FOR NC, A 501(C)4 ORGANIZATION.<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-166cd58 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"166cd58\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8dbd107 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8dbd107\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"e-image-base \" data-interaction-id=\"a84462c\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-id=\"a84462c\" id=\"35\" src=\"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/FAIR-JUCGES-1.png\" width=\"2000\" height=\"666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/FAIR-JUCGES-1.png 2000w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/FAIR-JUCGES-1-300x100.png 300w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/FAIR-JUCGES-1-1024x341.png 1024w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/FAIR-JUCGES-1-768x256.png 768w, https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/FAIR-JUCGES-1-1536x511.png 1536w\" alt=\"\"\/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our Leadership NC Judicial Reform Proposal Join Us 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\u2019s Supreme Court and Court of Appeals must act as meaningful checks on legislative overreach and protect the integrity of our [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_canvas","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7"}],"version-history":[{"count":119,"href":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":152,"href":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7\/revisions\/152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fairjudgesnc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}