Judicial Philosophy

As a lifelong resident of Pitt County, it has been a great honor to serve my community as a District Court Judge. I understand very well that elected judges are servants of the people, and are put into those positions to work diligently for the public good. I understand that the cases decided in District Court are important to the citizens involved – and whenever possible, I have worked to resolve cases quickly and efficiently, by following the law and the Constitution in every case.

As a judge, I have worked to follow the established laws to ensure that our citizens are safe from violent offenders. I believe that the citizens of our State deserve to live in communities that our safe and secure. My family has experienced firsthand the effects of violent crime in Pitt County. In 2001, my uncle was shot in a failed robbery attempt at our family’s restaurant. Unfortunately, the criminal who shot my uncle was never convicted for his crime. And while my uncle did survive the incident, this experience served as a painful reminder to my family of just how important public safety is to our community. As a father with four children, I desire for my children and your children to live in neighborhoods that are safe and secure. Working as your judge, I have always kept the safety of our communities in mind when hearing cases and making decisions from the bench.

I have tried to be fair and impartial in every case that I have decided. The Greek philosopher Socrates once said that judges should have four characteristics, “to hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly, and to decide impartially.” Those four characteristics represent the foundation of fairness in a courtroom, and I have tried to uphold these characteristics in every case in which I have presided. I believe that a judge should be patient, thoughtful, kind, and fair to all of the litigants who appear before him or her, regardless of that litigant’s social or economic status.

When making decisions from the bench, I always try to use reason and common sense in determining the outcome of a case. When hearing a case, I often try to consider what a jury in our Eastern North Carolina community would do if they were hearing the same set of facts. I believe this is important because juries usually act with reason and common sense in their decisions, and reach the correct result. I believe our court system is most effective when our judges take this common-sense approach to deciding cases. 

Thank you for taking the time to read about my judicial philosophy. I hope you have found this information to be useful. If you would like to help us with this campaign, please click on the “Learn More” button located below. On that page, you can let us know how you are available to participate. 

I greatly appreciate your support, and your vote.