On Friday, December 3, Governor Cooper appointed Dorthy Hairston Mitchell as District Court Judge in District 14 serving Durham County. Attorney Mitchell will fill the vacant seat formerly held by Judge Brian Wilks. The membership of the People's Alliance PAC met on September 1, 2021, and voted to endorse Attorney Hairston Mitchell for the vacant seat on the District Court. Attorney Hairston Mitchell is well qualified for this position. Please join the People's Alliance PAC in offering congratulations Attorney Hairston Mitchell on her appointment.

Read the Governor's press release regarding the appointment.

Six members of the bar have put their names forward to be considered for appointment to the District Court bench in Durham. The vacancy on the District Court is the result of the Honorable Brian Wilks vacating his District Court Judgeship on September 1, 2021, to fill the remainder of the term of the Honorable James "Jim" Hardin, who retired from the Superior Court earlier this year. The members of the People's Alliance will consider endorsing a candidate at their endorsement meeting on September 1, 2021. 

To learn more about the candidates who have put their names forward, please read their questionnaire responses and any additional materials they submitted to the People's Alliance PAC below.

Candidates for District Court Judge Vacancy

Keith Bishop - Questionnaire * Resume * Letter

Charles Carpenter - Questionnaire * Resume

Jessica Fludd - Questionnaire * Resume * Letter

Dorothy Hairston Mitchell - Questionnaire * Resume

Carl Newman - Questionnaire * Resume

David Robinson - Questionnaire * Resume

Candidates interested in PA PAC’s endorsement for the upcoming gubernatorial appointment to the
District Court Judge seat being vacated by Judge Brian C Wilks should contact PA PAC Coordinator Nana Asante-Smith right away. Nana may be reached at [email protected]

PA PAC will ask candidates interested in the PAC’s endorsement to provide PAC with a resume or a
biographical statement and responses to a questionnaire. It is also our intention set up candidate
interviews, but arrangements for interviews are not complete at this time. Information provided by
candidates will be published for the benefit of PA’s membership.

The endorsement for this appointment will be made by the PA membership at a meeting scheduled for
September 1, 2021. For more information about how endorsement decisions are made and who may attend the
endorsement meeting, please see the FAQ section on this website and the event 2021 Municipal and District Court Endorsement Meeting

PA PAC will communicate its endorsement message to Governor Cooper immediately following the
meeting.