All Things Judicial

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First Ladies of the North Carolina Judiciary Exhibit at Campbell School of Law Mar 23, 2022

Show notes

This bonus episode features a tour of Campbell University School of Law's exhibit entitled First Ladies of the North Carolina Judiciary. The exhibit contains rare photographs and artifacts of North Carolina's first women judges. The tour is conducted by Campbell Law School Dean J. Rich Leonard.

In addition to the audio podcast, a video compilation is available on the NCcourts YouTube channel.

Public Confidence in North Carolina's Courts: the Role of the Judicial Standards Commission Mar 16, 2022

Show notes

This episode of the All Things Judicial podcast focuses on the Judicial Standards Commission, which serves as an arm of the Supreme Court of North Carolina to give advice regarding the Code of Judicial Conduct, provide training to judges on their ethical duties, and to evaluate and investigate complaints of judicial misconduct. In appropriate cases, the Commission initiates disciplinary proceedings against judges for the purpose of making disciplinary recommendations to the Supreme Court.

"Judges have to have the attitude that we are here to serve and not to be served," said Judge Chris Dillion on the podcast. "Just because (a judicial complaint) gets dismissed, doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't of some value, because they're all invaluable, because it helps us create better practices for that judge to make sure they are being perceived well by the public."

Guests are Judge Chris Dillon, chair of the Judicial Standards Commission, Carolyn Dubay, executive director of the Commission, and Commission members Allison Mullins and Donald Porter. They discuss the importance of the Commission in preserving public confidence in the integrity, impartiality, and independence of the Judicial Branch, the unique role that judges, lawyers, and citizens play in evaluating questions of judicial conduct, and some of the most common and concerning issues that come to the Commission’s attention. This episode was released in recognition of National Ethics Awareness Month, which is celebrated this year during the month of March.

Professionalism: A Higher Standard for Lawyers and Judges Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

This episode of the All Things Judicial podcast features an interview with Mel Wright, Executive Director of the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism. The Commission plays an important role in providing continuing legal education to lawyers, and through the Professionalism Support Initiative, acts as an informal voluntary peer intervention program involving professionalism issues.

On this episode, Wright shares details about his background, the role and mission of the Commission, and some intriguing stories about professionalism, or lack thereof, in North Carolina's legal community.

"Legal ethics is the minimum standard required by the North Carolina State Bar, whereas professionalism is the higher standard expected of lawyers and judges," said Wright on the podcast. "Sometimes even judges say and do things that maybe they shouldn't say or do. Often when those type of things happen, I get a phone call."

Campbell Law Dean Rich Leonard's Personal Tour of NC's First Black Judges Exhibit Feb 23, 2022

Show notes

This bonus episode features a tour of Campbell University School of Law's exhibit entitled First African Americans on the North Carolina Bench. The tour is conducted by Campbell Law School Dean J. Rich Leonard.
The exhibit features a timeline of the lives and achievements of each judge and justice from 1968-2006. While today North Carolina has numerous African American judges, there were no African Americans on the bench in the Old North State prior the late 1960s.
In addition to the audio podcast, a video compilation is available on the NCcourts YouTube channel.

Civil Rights Pioneer Clarence Henderson Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

This episode features an interview with civil rights pioneer Clarence Henderson who on February 2, 1960 helped launch the sit-in protests in Greensboro, North Carolina. Mr. Henderson shares his family background, his battle against racial discrimination in the U.S. Army, and his role in the historic events that unfolded that day which contributed to desegregation in the United States.

"Walking into F.W. Woolworth's I did not know how I was going to come out, in a vertical position in handcuffs going to jail, or perhaps in a prone position going to the hospital or even the morgue," said Henderson on the podcast. "This changed my total outlook on life. I began to realize that we all have defining moments, but those moments don't define us. It's what we do in those moments that define us."

This interview was conducted by Mel Wright, Executive Director of the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism, with an introduction by Chief Justice Paul Newby. A video version of this podcast is available as part of the commission's Historical Video Series.

Court Reporters: a Link Between Trial and Appellate Courts Feb 02, 2022

Show notes

This episode of the All Things Judicial podcast focuses on the Judicial Branch's court reporters, who make verbatim records of court proceedings and prepare transcripts from those records for purposes such as appeals.

Guests are David Jester, Court Reporting Manager, and Susan Burgess, Court Reporting Coordinator. They discuss the importance of their role in the justice system and larger community, the advanced technology they employ, and their personal experiences in the court reporting profession. This episode was released in recognition of National Court Reporting and Captioning Week, which is celebrated this year during the week of February 5–12.

"Court reporters have an integral role," said Jester. "When I finish a transcript and send it to the Court of Appeals, I know that I am the only one who has a role in the trial court and the appellate process. I know everything that was said and I can communicate it to the Court of Appeals so they can give the case a meaningful review."

Human Trafficking Diversion Court Jan 19, 2022

Show notes

This episode of All Things Judicial focuses on WORTH Court, a Cumberland County specialized court designed to help human trafficking survivors with supportive care and intervention services. "WORTH" is an acronym given to the court to avoid labeling survivors with the negative stigma of human trafficking. WORTH stands for "We Overcome Recidivism Through Healing" and has been active in Cumberland County for approximately two years.

"Human Trafficking is everyone’s problem," said Chief District Court Judge Toni S. King, who is a primary proponent of the WORTH Court program. "WORTH Court hopes to be the beacon of light for those victims that thought their voices were silenced or unheard. A new beginning begins with healing."

The episode is hosted by Jennifer Haigwood, Chair of the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission, and guests are Lindsey Lane, former Cumberland County Assistant District Attorney, and Bengie Hair, coordinator of the Cumberland County WORTH Court program. This episode is being released during National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Highlights of 2021 Jan 05, 2022

Show notes

This episode of All Things Judicial features highlights from six of the 25 episodes produced during its inaugural season. Highlights include topics from the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission, Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism, Chief Justice's Task Force on ACEs-Informed Courts, North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, and interviews regarding the subjects of Black History Month and the Cherokee Sovereign Nation's tribal courts.

Launched in February 2021, the podcast focuses on the Judicial Branch's role as an equal branch of state government by featuring interviews with recognizable Branch officials and covering the many functions, areas of responsibility, innovations, commissions, task forces, and roles within the Branch. All Things Judicial has received approximately 6,000 downloads from listeners in 33 countries.

Judicial Branch staff and officials would like to thank all podcast listeners for their support, and encourage listeners to contact allthingsjudicial@nccourts.org with any feedback on the podcast and suggestions for topics of interest for future episodes.

Judicial Branch Gives Back Through the State Employees Combined Campaign Dec 22, 2021

Show notes

This episode of All Things Judicial focuses on the State Employees Combined Campaign (SECC) and a selection of charities supported by Judicial Branch employees. Chief Justice Paul Newby kicks-off the podcast with a holiday greeting to Branch employees and is followed by a series of interviews with representatives from the SECC, Second Chance Pet Adoptions, North Carolina Museum of Art, and Families Together. A video version of the interviews can be found on the NCcourts YouTube channel.

"As Chief Justice, the head of the Judicial Branch, I want to say how grateful I am for each one of you and all that you do everyday to fulfill our constitutional mandates that the courts will be open and justice will be administered without favor, denial, or delay," Newby said on the podcast.

A Budget for the Future of NC Courts Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

This episode of All Things Judicial focuses on the historic budget commitments made by the state legislature to the Judicial Branch in the bi-partisan spending plan passed in November 2021. The recent state budget made the largest investment ever in the Judicial Branch, fully funded eCourts modernization, and allowed the Branch to retain hundreds of employees essential to fulfilling the Branch's constitutional mandate to keep courts open to administer justice.

This episode is hosted by Legislative Liaison Joseph Kyzer and guests include Chuck Spahos, liaison for the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, and North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts Deputy Director Ryan Boyce.

"This budget truly is transformative for the court system," Boyce said on the podcast. "It invests in some once-in-a-generation initiatives, eCourts being the main one, but most importantly it invests in our personnel, our people here in the Judicial Branch."

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