news-record.com

Office You Seek
To retain my seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Date of Birth
November 4, 1956

Occupation
Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals

Address
Committee to Keep Judge Arrowood, Post Office Box 1628, Raleigh, North Carolina 27602

Web Site/e-mail Address
www.judgearrowood.com
info @ judgearrowood.com

Education
B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Catawba College, 1979
J.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1982

Elective experience
I currently serve on the North Carolina Court of Appeals by appointment of the Governor. I previously served as a Special Superior Court Judge by appointment of the Governor. I have never run for any position.

Professional credentials (specialized training and experience)
Law Clerk to Judge Gerald Arnold (later Chief Judge), Staff Attorney, Head of Central Staff, North Carolina Court of Appeals, 1983-1989
Private Practice, James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A. (practice mainly involved complex commercial litigation), 1989-2007
Special Superior Court Judge, 2007
Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals, September, 2007-present
While in private practice, I served six (6) years on the North Carolina Banking Commission, six (6) years as a director for the North Carolina Rail Road, four (4) years on the North Carolina Arts Council, and two (2) years on the Rules Review Commission.

Family
Single

Why have you chosen to run for this office?
I sought this appointment because I believe our Courts work best when the judges bring a diversity of experiences to the bench. My work on the Court of Appeals staff, in private practice, and as a judge, together with my public service experience make me uniquely qualified to serve.
I have enjoyed my service as a Court of Appeals Judge and would like to continue to do so.

What about your training and experience most qualifies you for this position?
My experience as a law clerk and on the Court's staff allowed me to "hit the ground running" when I returned to the Court, because I understood the system, the work load and the effort required to timely perform the duties of the office.
My eighteen (18) years in private practice provided me with the understanding of how our court system affects the lives of the individuals and businesses before the Court. My time as a judge completes my experience and the opinions I have authored since my appointment speak to my abilities.

What do you see as a particular strength of our Court system?
Our court system's strength is the dedicated people who work diligently to make the system work effectively and to be fair and equitable even in the face of an increasing work load.

Where does it fall short?
Our court system is underfunded, thereby causing an overload on many of our clerks, district attorneys and public defenders. In addition, many bright young people who would like to enter, or make a career of, public service find that impossible to do because the salary structure is such that they cannot pay off their student loans and support a family.

What can be done to help the public better understand the role of our appellate courts?
The Court system's web site, www.nccourts.org, contains links that explain the role and workings of our appellate courts. It also contains copies of the opinions rendered by the Court. Publicizing this resource will direct our citizens to a place to learn about the appellate courts. The news media serves a vital role in informing people where to locate this information.

How can you make a distinct impact on the quality of decisions rendered by the court?
I was born and lived my early years in the mountains of North Carolina. My parents died when I was fifteen (15) years old and I went to live in the foothills with my brother, a State Highway Patrolman. I was privileged to attend college in Salisbury and law school in Chapel Hill. My practice has enabled me to live in Charlotte, our State's largest city. Thus, I understand our State and its challenges. During my years in private practice, I was privileged to represent both individual and corporate citizens in a wide variety of complex civil cases. My background, work experience and civic involvement provides me a wealth of knowledge that assists me in rendering fair and impartial decisions without favoritism to any litigant or to the State.

To what extent should judges or judicial candidates express their views about political and social issues of the day?
Canon 2 of the Code of Judicial Conduct in part provides that a judge "should conduct himself/herself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary." As such, I believe that judges and judicial candidates should be especially cautious in expressing their view on political or social issues because such expressions could be viewed as reflecting adversely on their impartiality as a judge.

Who would be the one current state or federal judge you most admire, and why?
Chief Justice Sarah Parker of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. I admire her work ethic and dedication to the administration of justice. I also admire the effort she puts forth to be the public face of the judicial system with the citizens of North Carolina.