North Carolina, today is Election Day. If you are registered to vote, grab your ID and make your plan to vote at your Election Day polling location before polls close at 7:30 PM.

One day left! And a beautiful one to canvass for great candidates with Down Home North Carolina (and, yes, still some boss Halloween on display). If you haven’t voted yet, Tuesday is the day. And don’t forget the judges—Justice @anitaearls.bsky.social and Judges Hampson, Arrowood, and Walczyk!

Great discussing civil rights litigation in state and federal courts with my friends Matt Ballew and Trent Turk. Thanks to Wake Forest Law and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice New Lawyers Division for having us and for the spirited discussion!

Let’s do this, y’all! Early vote from now through Halloween. (And, yes, please also keep in mind my (not so) subliminal photo message.)

Thanks to my former NCCU Law students Victoria Rushin and Harrison Do for having me on their all-star Women in the Law panel featuring Justice @allisonjriggs.bsky.social and Judges Doretta Walker, Dorothy Hairston Mitchell, and Shamieka LaCher Rhinehart. An amazing conversation!

Early in-person voting starts tomorrow, Thursday, October 15, in North Carolina. Make a plan to vote and don’t forget the judicial candidates on your statewide ballot!

Another weekend on the move! Representative Jim Clyburn firing up the @orangedemsnc.bsky.social Saturday morning to an evening with friends at the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Legends & Legacy Gala to the Mint Museum on Sunday.

Jan Allen was a hero, fighting for progressive causes and to elect pro-choice women. Thanks to @lillianslist.bsky.social for celebrating her legacy and honoring those—Justice @allisonjriggs.bsky.social, Senator Natalie Murdock, and Representative @pratherfornc.bsky.social—carrying it forward.

What a treat moderating a panel of stars—Judges Joal Broun, Dorothy Hairston Mitchell, Alyson Grine and Toby Hampson—discussing how our courts impact people’s lives. Anybody who thinks we can’t have a judiciary that reflects all the strengths of our state missed out on the panel yesterday!

Honored to join Carolina Public Humanities and UNC School of Law Professors Michael Gerhardt, Eisha Jain, and @elmunc.bsky.social to talk about the federal Supreme Court (and the increasing importance of state courts). Hard to think of a better time with the 26-27 SCOTUS term starting next week!

What a weekend! Firing up Stokes Co. Dems? Check! Supporting Dem judicial candidates on ballot this fall at Carrboro cookout? Check! Celebrating those making our community better at Justice Center Defenders of Justice and Bourbon and Bowties hosted by @zackhawkinsnc.bsky.social? Check and check!

In honor of Dolly Parton’s life and work, it is an honor to proclaim 9/25 “9 to 5 Day – or Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Day of Reading.” Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has helped millions of children discover the joy of reading, including more than 240,000 children across North Carolina.

Always a blast to join friends old and new celebrating the #LGBTQ community at the @equalitync.bsky.social Gala. Great event and well done, @eliazarposada.bsky.social and Equality NC team!

Wishing all those observing Yom Kippur a meaningful day of reflection, prayer, and renewal. May you have a peaceful and meaningful fast and a good and blessed year.

The North Carolina Mock Trial Program is awesome—giving high school students from across the state a chance to hone their powers of persuasion. So it was a treat to wish them luck (especially the Broughton High team!) and say a few words at the kick-off of their 2026-27 season.

“The question is whether students’ constitutional right to a sound basic education is real or a paper promise.” Thanks to Carolina Law @acslaw.bsky.social chapter for hosting discussion of NC Supreme Court decision ending Leandro litigation (but not the fight for quality public schools statewide).

My joke is that Judge Christine Walcyzk was made in a lab to serve on the state Court of Appeals. Temperament, smarts, experience—she’s got it. Wonderful to have the chance to intro her today at @orangedemsnc.bsky.social gathering. Remember the Democratic Court of Appeals candidates this fall!

L’Shana Tova to all of our neighbors beginning their Rosh Hashanah celebrations this evening. Wishing everyone a sweet and healthy new year!

Twenty-five years later, we continue to remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost on September 11, 2001, and the first responders who ran toward danger to protect others.

Thirtieth NelsonFL fantasy football draft weekend in the books (and we survived)! Happy Labor Day, y’all!

Wonderful weekend in Wilmington, highlighted by inspiring @newhanoverdems.bsky.social Paint the Town Blue Gala as well as inspired parking spaces. Folks are fired up to vote this fall and, as always, The Dude abides!

Always been a big Dolly fan. But I didn’t know much about her literacy advocacy until I was on the Board of the Orange Co. Partnership for Young Children. Through Dolly’s Imagination Library, 2,000 Orange County families receive a book monthly until their kiddos are five. Truly life-changing!

The legislature recently passed a bill that would give the Chief Justice unprecedented power to remove trial court judges without pay for decisions it does not like. @robschofield.bsky.social and I tackled that, fall judicial elections, and much more on a recent @ncnewsline.com News and Views.

Former NC Court of Appeals Judge Chris Brook on the increasingly politicized state judiciary • NC Newsline

If there’s a branch of North Carolina state government that’s undergone the largest transformation in recent decades – both in its role and its make-up – it’s likely the state courts. Thanks in large ...

ncnewsline.com

Twenty-one years today as a North Carolina attorney! Can I honestly say I can’t imagine doing anything else? Yes! Can anyone who has known me since I was four years old honestly say they can’t imagine me doing anything else? Yes!

The choice is clear. Justice @anitaearls.bsky.social stands up all of our constitutional rights—even when that means staring down the legislature. Her opponent Rep. Stevens makes pretty clear that she does not view that as part of the job. carolinapublicpress.org/80401/politi...

Political parties see high stakes in NC Supreme Court election

Anita Earls and Sarah Stevens compete for voters' attention and make case for why people should back them in race for NC Supreme Court seat.

carolinapublicpress.org

91 years! Congratulations to the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People on their 91st Annual Founders’ Day Banquet. A great evening catching up with and being inspired by old friends.

What a @ncdp.org Unity Dinner! The enthusiasm for this fall was inescapable all night. Special shout to two friends: Melvin Williams, retiring after years of service as Party Secretary, and Representative @marciamorey.bsky.social, teasing me (!!) for bringing an umbrella to a summer event in NC.

Fighting for North Carolinians from community meetings to the General Assembly to the US Supreme Court, Angela Bryant and Leslie Winner are voting rights heroes. At this moment when voting rights are imperiled, I can’t think of anyone better to hear from about the way forward. Icons indeed!

Quality schools, the right to vote, workers’ rights—state courts matter! Wonderful to discuss critical issues state courts decide w/ my friend & former Court of Appeals colleague Judge Lucy Inman. Thanks @prochoicenc.bsky.social, @commoncausenc.bsky.social & @peoplesparity.bsky.social for having us!

Fourth of July family (and World Cup) week! (Not pictured: me cursing at television during US v. Belgium.)