All Things Judicial

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Be Their Voice: Become a Child Advocate in North Carolina Apr 24, 2025

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April is recognized as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of safe, supportive environments for all children. In this episode, we spotlight the NC Guardian ad Litem Program and its vital role in advocating for children involved in the state’s foster care system.

The episode features conversations with three leaders from the Guardian ad Litem Program:

Carolyn Green, Regional Administrator
Brittany McKinney, Staff Attorney
Matthew Wunsche, Appellate Counsel

Together, they discuss the urgent need for volunteer child advocates, volunteer attorney advocates, and interns to support the growing need of abused and neglected children in North Carolina’s court system.

"When I came over to Guardian ad Litem I learned that so many children are under the radar while in the court system," said Green on the podcast. "I hope that people will give of their time and make a difference in a life. When you commit until a child gets back to a safe, permanent home, you can't beat that feeling."

The episode serves as both a call to action and an informative look into how volunteers can support the best interests of children experiencing abuse, neglect, or abandonment.

To learn more about becoming a Guardian ad Litem volunteer or intern, visit volunteerforgal.org.

In Focus – April News Update Apr 09, 2025

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This episode provides an in-depth look at significant developments in the North Carolina Judicial Branch for the month of April. This episode covers:

The 2023-2024 Judicial Branch Annual Report
Chief Justice Paul Newby visits Columbus County
eCourts Track 8 goes live on April 28
Most recent judicial appointments
NC Human Trafficking Commission is accepting grant applications
Preview of the next All Things Judicial–Beyond the Bench episode which features the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program.

30 Years of Hope: The Journey of Mecklenburg County's Recovery Court Mar 27, 2025

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In this episode, we celebrate a major milestone: the 30th anniversary of the Mecklenburg County Recovery Court.

Since its founding, the Recovery Court has been a beacon of hope for individuals struggling with addiction, providing an alternative path that blends accountability with support. This episode highlights the program’s lasting impact through the perspectives of Jessica Modra, Program Manager for the Supportive Treatment and Engagement Program, and John Barber, a Recovery Court graduate who shares his powerful personal journey from addiction to recovery.

"The people we serve are our neighbors, coworkers, and our friends who are looking to start a new chapter in their lives," Modra said on the podcast. "Recovery court is committed to helping these individuals and that's why we are able to celebrate 30 years of recovery court here in Mecklenburg County."

The conversation delves into the evolution of the program, the challenges and triumphs of its participants, and the crucial role of community support in the recovery process. As Mecklenburg County marks this significant anniversary, Beyond the Bench invites listeners to reflect on the power of second chances and the role the judicial system can play in fostering change.

In Focus – March News Update Mar 05, 2025

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News items covered in this episode of In Focus include:

Attorney training for eCourts Track 8 and eCourts expansion
Task Force on ACE's Courts Plans More Progress in 2025
Case Statistics Dashboard is available to the public at data.nccourts.gov
March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month
DWI grant from Governor's Highway Safety Commission to expand case capacity
Preview of the next episode of Beyond the Bench focusing on Mecklenburg County Recovery Court's 30th Anniversary

Answering the Call: Judge and Law Clerks on the Frontlines of Disaster Recovery Feb 19, 2025

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In this episode of All Things Judicial: Beyond the Bench, we take listeners beyond the courtroom and into the heart of disaster recovery, featuring a compelling conversation with North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Michael Stading and law clerks Vincenzo Conciatori and Tomas Nazer-Paniagua.

These legal professionals stepped away from their usual roles in the judiciary to volunteer in Western North Carolina following the devastation of Hurricane Helene. In this episode, they share their firsthand experiences witnessing the storm’s impact, assisting communities in need, and reflecting on how the experience shaped their perspectives on justice and public service.

In Focus – February News Update Feb 06, 2025

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Welcome to All Things Judicial: In Focus—your monthly dive into the latest news, updates, and decisions shaping our Judicial Branch. Topics include: Court of Appeals Judge Tom Murry's investiture, eCourts Track 7 roll-out, NC Human Trafficking Commission's annual grant program, judicial appointments, and preview of next episode.

Nine AOC Directors' Roundtable Discussion (Part 2) Jan 09, 2025

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In this episode, we feature the second installment of a truly extraordinary roundtable discussion with nine former NCAOC directors. The discussion was moderated by former director Judge Marion Warren and included: Judge Gerald Arnold, Judge Jack Cozort, Mr. Jim Drennan, Justice Franklin Freeman, Judge Robert Hobgood, Judge Tom Ross, Judge John Smith, and Judge Ralph Walker. The directors discussed NCAOC's changes throughout the years and shared funny anecdotes from their time leading the Judicial Branch.

"I went to Avery County in the early 1990s and there was an older woman assistant clerk there. I said, 'I noticed you just got your computers in but they're still in boxes.' She said, 'we don't like computers here and we don't like anyone who does,'" said Judge Walker on the podcast. "I went back 10 years later, the older lady is gone and a younger woman was there. She was pulling her hair out (in frustration) and I said, 'ma'am what in the world is wrong?' She said, 'the computers are down and we can't do anything without them!'"

This is part two of the roundtable which was recorded in December 2016. Visit NCcourts.gov to listen to part one and other episodes of All Things Judicial.

Nine AOC Directors' Roundtable Discussion (Part 1) Dec 04, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we feature the first installment of a truly extraordinary roundtable discussion with nine former NCAOC directors. The discussion was moderated by former director Judge Marion Warren and included: Judge Gerald Arnold, Judge Jack Cozort, Mr. Jim Drennan, Justice Franklin Freeman, Judge Robert Hobgood, Judge Tom Ross, Judge John Smith, and Judge Ralph Walker. The directors began by discussing how they received the "call of duty" from their respective chief justices.

"I got a call from Chief Justice Henry Frye and he asked if I would be the director of AOC. I talked with my wife and she said 'absolutely not,'" said Judge Hobgood on the podcast. "I thought that was the end of it, but two days later I got calls from I. Beverly Lake, who was just elected, and Henry Frye who said 'why didn't you take that job?' I started thinking about having the sitting chief justice and former chief justice call and ask me to be the the director, so I agreed to start January 1, 2001."

This is part one of the roundtable which was recorded in December 2016. Subsequent parts will be released later this month.

Charlotte Attorney Joseph W. Grier, Jr. Nov 14, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we feature an excerpt of an interview with Charlotte Attorney Joseph W. Grier, Jr. (1915-2010). Grier was interviewed in 2003 for the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism's Historical Video Series. Grier led an epic career as a Charlotte attorney for more than 60 years after volunteering for the U.S. Army during WWII. In the podcast, he discusses his early life, highlights of his career, and his community service which included the desegregation of all Charlotte city park facilities and pools in the 1950s.

"We voluntarily desegregated all of the parks in Charlotte long before there was any litigation in the schools," said Grier. "It turned out that because we did it voluntarily ... integration was taken as a matter of course and we never had any fuss at all about the parks."

This interview was conducted by Attorney Hank Hankins for the CJCP's Historical Video Series. A video of the entire interview can be viewed on the Judicial Branch YouTube Channel.

FRIGHT COURT: Paranormal Case Law and the Haunted Caswell County Courthouse Oct 31, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we feature our annual Halloween episode entitled Fright Court. In the first segment, we feature Nelson Nauss, the Executive Director of The Ghost Guild, a North Carolina-based paranormal research organization. Nauss shares four court cases involving claims of the supernatural, where the courts didn’t necessarily rule-out the paranormal elements of each lawsuit. In the second segment, Roger Winstead of the Judicial Branch Communications Office narrates the story of John Walker Stephens, a state senator who was murdered in 1870 in the Historic Caswell County Courthouse.
Fright Court is an annual episode of All Things Judicial which showcases unexplained occurrences and macabre historical incidents in North Carolina's courthouses. This popular YouTube and podcast series won a first place award for videography from the North Carolina Association of Government Information Officers in 2019 and 2020.

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