Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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OCT 29 - NOV 4, 2014 UCW 19 ELECTION GUIDE 2014 ELECTION 2014: NC COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE (You may vote for ONE) Judge Paul Holcomb Residence: Clayton Education: Univ. of Tennessee, J.D. UNC-Chapel Hill, B.A Occupation: District Court Judge Employer: State of North Carolina Date Admitted to the Bar: North Carolina, 2001; Tennessee, 1994; US Supreme Court, 1999 Legal/judicial Experience: District Court Judge, 2009-Present; Assistant District Attorney, 1994-2008 Judges must treat each case and the people involved with fairness, respect and impartiality. They must also be ex- perienced in the various types of cases that come before the Court of Appeals. Since I was elected a District Court Judge six years ago, I have presided over thousands of cases including criminal, divorce, child custody, child support, child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency and mental health competency. I have the experience it takes to serve in this important role. I have spent my entire career in public service. I am the only candidate in this race who has been elected to office, as former Governor Perdue appointed my opponent. I earned the support of those who voted to make me a District Court Judge and I am working to earn the vote of every North Carolinian as I seek election to the Court of Appeals. Other than a few years during and after law school, I have lived my whole life in North Carolina. My wife and I are raising our children here. We are com- mitted to North Carolina's future. My pledge to you is simple: If elected, I will continue to APPLY the law fairly and justly and will work to improve the administration of justice across North Carolina. I ask for your support in November. Judge Mark Davis Residence: Wake County Education: University of North Caro- lina at Chapel Hill, B.A., J.D. Occupation: Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals Legal/judicial Experience: Judge, NC Court of Appeals since 2012; Mem- ber, Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice; Special Deputy Attorney Gen- eral; General Counsel to Governor of North Carolina North Carolinians deserve one thing above all from their judges: fairness. In each case that comes before me, I study all the legal issues, listen to all points of view, and fairly apply the law. No personal or political agenda should ever enter into a judge's decision-making. I will always be fair to everyone who comes to our court. I believe that my service on the Court of Appeals and my broad legal background equip me to meet the needs of North Carolina families, businesses, and communities. I have served on the Court of Appeals since 2012. By the November election I will have decided more than 600 cases and written more than 200 court decisions. I brought 19 years of prior legal experience to the Court, and during that time I handled hundreds of cases in state and federal courts. I'm very proud of the bipartisan support I've received. My candidacy has been endorsed by both Republi- can and Democratic former Justices of the Supreme Court and former Judges on the Court of Appeals. My wife Marcia and I have lived our entire lives in North Carolina. We've been married for 22 years and have three children. ELECTION 2014: District Court Judge Stephen Stokes My name is Stephen Stokes and I am a candidate for District Court Judge to fill the seat vacated by Judge George Franks. I am committed to the public's assurance of a kind of equality and justice that is not familiar to some and stranger to others, but which is common to all. I possess the kind of judicial tem- perament and sense of fairness that will positively impact those who appear in my court. No one will walk away feeling that the court I presided over demeaned or disrespected them. In 2012, I ranked highest amongst four judicial candidates for District Court Judge in a Non-incumbent Judicial Candidate Survey. I am endorsed by the NC Association of Women Attorneys' Judicial Endorsement Committee, Veterans Empowering Veterans, and by the North Carolina and Cumberland County Association of Educators. I served as President of the Cumberland County Bar Association and the 12th Judicial Bar Association (2013-14). I am a full board member for the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. I also served on the Cumberland County Education Foundation's Board of Directors. I earned a dual master's in public admin- istration and management, and graduated from The Florida State University College of Law. I am licensed to practice law in North Carolina, and am admitted to practice be- fore the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the U.S. Supreme Court. I have 23 years legal experience in the private and public sectors, which in- cludes international law, state and federal prosecution, state and federal criminal defense, and military court-martials in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corp. I was also Chief of the Army's largest legal assistance office, where I supervised seven attorneys and six paralegal personnel, and was responsible for providing legal services to more than 200,000 active military personnel, retirees and their dependents. For excellent legal services provided to our soldiers, I was publically recognized by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel. My civil practice areas have included personal injury ; state and federal employment law; school law; and litigation of employment, business and professional certification matters before administrative law judges and before the full commissions of their respective agencies. I graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger and Advanced Airborne Schools. I also graduated from the National Security Law Summer Institute at the University of Virginia School of Law. I obtained the rank of Major and was honorably discharged before going into private practice. I am married to Dr. Yvette Stokes, a local pediatric dentist and small business owner. We have four children and are members of First Baptist Church on Moore Street. Respectfully, I ask for your vote. Clark Reaves Judicial races do not receive a lot of media attention, but they are criti- cally important to you as citizens of Cumberland County. Each year more than 100,000 cases pass through the district court. My name is Clark Reaves and I am running in this election to remain a District Court Judge. I would like to take this opportunity to speak to you about my qualifications for the job of district court judge. I was born and raised in Fayetteville and graduated from the Fayetteville Academy as the valedictorian. I graduat- ed magna cum laude from Duke Univer- sity and received my law degree from the University of North Carolina. After law school, I immediately returned to Fayetteville where I have been practic- ing law for more than 22 years. My first job was as a prosecutor in the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office. I worked 10 years prosecuting cases ranging from simple traffic violations to serious felonies and homicides. I have also spent time in private practice and eventually started my own law firm. During that time, I focused on criminal defense, civil litigation and real estate. I believe my diverse legal experience makes me the most qualified candi- date for this seat. When this judgeship became open last November, I and 11 other at- torneys submitted our names for the appointment. I received the highest number of votes from my fellow at- torneys as a nominee for the position. I was appointed to be a district court judge in January 2014. As a judge, I am honored to have the confidence of my colleagues in the local bar and will work hard to maintain the highest standards of professionalism. Since becoming a judge, I have presided in every district courtroom, including criminal, civil and domestic. I have also been designated by our Chief Judge as one of several judges who preside in family court. I am mak- ing difficult decisions on a daily basis that impact the lives of people in our community. I am also working hard in criminal court to make sure criminals are punished and victims receive the justice they deserve. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving Cumberland County as a district court judge. We live in a wonderful and diverse community unlike any other. I appreciate all the support I have received since becoming a judge from people of all backgrounds and political parties. I thank you for your support and look forward to continuing to serve as your district court judge for years to come. I respectfully ask for your vote on Nov. 4.