On August 5, 2021, Governor Roy Cooper announced that he selected the Honorable Brian C. Wilks to fill the Superior Court seat left vacant upon the retirement of the Honorable James "Jim" Hardin. Judge Wilks previously served as a District Court judge in Judicial District 14B, which covers Durham County. On April 29, 2021, the membership of the People's Alliance met and voted to recommend Judge Wilks to the governor as a worthy candidate to fill Judge Hardin's seat.

Letter to Governor Cooper

Superior Court Judge Endorsement

After a professional career lasting nearly forty years and devoted almost entirely to public service, Judge Jim Hardin will retire on May 1. Universally respected for his firmness, fairness, patience, and judicial temperament, Judge Hardin has always earned PA PAC’s endorsement. We thank him for his service and congratulate him on a well-deserved retirement.

But the vacancy he leaves on Durham’s bench deserves PA’s attention. Governor Cooper must appoint a suitable candidate to fill Judge Hardin’s seat. PA PAC must weigh in on that decision and urge the Governor to appoint the best candidate to serve Durham. We will make that decision together at our meeting on the 29^th. Already the PAC Coordinators are organizing candidate questionnaires and calendaring candidate interviews. The PAC will share questionnaire responses here when the candidates have completed them. At the meeting the interview committee will make their report and share their recommendation. Then our membership will debate and vote on who among the candidates we will recommend to Governor Cooper.

Candidates interested in the PA PAC’s endorsement process are urged to contact PA PAC coordinator Tom Miller right away.

Tom’s e-mail address is [email protected].