All Things Judicial

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 ep...

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 ...

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 ...

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 devastatio...

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 th...

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 &q...

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 ...

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...

In this episode, we welcome Pitt County District Court Judge Mario Perez. Judge Perez is the first Hispanic judge in Pitt County and possibly the first Mexican-American judge in North Carolina. On the podcast, he discussed his upbringing in Texas, the challenges he faced as a Mexican-American, and his favorite Hispanic heritage traditions. Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized September 15 – October 15.

Judge Mario E. Pere...

In this episode, we focus on the North Carolina judicial system reforms of the 1960s. These reforms created a unified court system that included newly created District Courts, Court of Appeals, and the Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC). In the interview, former NCAOC Director and Supreme Court of North Carolina Associate Justice Franklin Freeman interviews two men who helped implement these reforms: Judge James Dickson Ph...

Today, we commemorate Constitution Day, recognized annually on September 17. In the first segment, we hear from Chief Justice Paul Newby who shares about the important principles contained in America's founding documents. After that, we travel to the Historic 1767 Chowan County Courthouse to visit with Charles Boyette, who serves as a Historic Interpreter for the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources' Historic E...

In this episode, we feature an interview with former Chief Justice Burley Mitchell. Mitchell worked in several county and state government leadership positions before serving as a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, as associate justice of the the Supreme Court of North Carolina, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. During his tenure as Chief Justice, Mitchell created the Chief Justice's Comm...

In this episode, we welcome Chief Judge Chris Dillon of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. As North Carolina's intermediate appellate court, the Court of Appeals reviews proceedings that occur in trial courts for errors of law or legal procedure. On the podcast, Dillon discusses his path to becoming a Court of Appeals judge, the role of the Court of Appeals in our court system, and the importance of mentorship and civil educ...

In this episode, we feature excerpts from an interview with Russell M. Robinson II, the founding partner of the Robinson Bradshaw law firm. Robinson was born in Charlotte, NC, in 1932 and attended Princeton University for most of his undergraduate years. He then earned his Juris Doctor from the Duke University School of Law. Robinson is the author of Robinson on North Carolina Corporation Law, a publication providing coverage of th...

In this episode, we welcome the Honorable Louis A. Bledsoe, III, the Chief Judge of the North Carolina Business Court. On the podcast, Bledsoe shares about his path to becoming an attorney and judge, the role of the Business Court and how it functions, and he reflects on the joys and challenges in today's legal community. 

“My favorite part (of being a judge) has been, whether through the case management process or through judi...

In this episode, we feature excerpts from a 2004 interview with late Judge Robinson O. Everett (1928-2009), former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Armed Forces. Everett graduated from Harvard University at age 19 and was admitted into the North Carolina Bar Association by age 22. Originally from Durham, North Carolina, Everett was part of Duke Law School's faculty for over 50 years - founding the Universi...

On this episode, we welcome Rufus Edmisten who served as the deputy chief counsel for the Senate Watergate Committee (1973-74). The Committee's final report, released on June 27, 1974, was partly responsible for the resignation of President Richard Nixon on August 9, 1974. On the podcast, Edmisten reflects on the high-profile nature of his work on the Committee, his relationship with Committee Chairman U.S. Senator Sam Ervin, ...

In this episode, we feature an excerpt of a 2004 interview with the late James D. Blount, Jr. (1927–2015), who worked as a prominent attorney in Rockingham and Wake counties. Blount's 50-year legal career included working as lead counsel in over 300 civil jury trials, and numerous stints serving as a volunteer in civic and community organizations. Originally from Wilson County, Blount served in the United States Navy before ea...