{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Chevonne Wallace","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Chevonne Rene Wallace is the incumbent North Carolina District Court Judge for Judicial District 16A, Seat\u202f3, and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election as a Democrat. She currently serves on the bench with a term that runs through December\u202f31,\u202f2026, after first being elected in the 2022 cycle [9].\n\nWallace grew up in a judicial family; her mother, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Tanya Wallace, is a prominent jurist in the same district. Chevonne was sworn in as a District Court Judge on January\u202f3,\u202f2019, becoming the first woman in North Carolina to be sworn in by her own mother, a historic moment highlighted by the Richmond County Daily Journal [8]. While specific details of her formal education are not provided in the available sources, her early exposure to the legal profession included shadowing a Richmond County attorney during a career\u2011day event in eighth grade, an experience that sparked her interest in law [10].\n\nBefore joining the bench, Wallace spent nine years as an assistant district attorney in Richmond County, where she handled criminal cases and earned a reputation for thorough knowledge of the law and mentorship of younger attorneys [10]. In 2020 (the article notes she won the seat unopposed on a Tuesday, which aligns with the 2020 primary), she ran unopposed for the District Court seat vacated by retiring Judge Scott Brewer and was elected to the position [10]. Her career progression from prosecutor to judge reflects a deep familiarity with courtroom procedures and a commitment to public service.\n\nAs a judge, Wallace has indicated a particular focus on family\u2011law matters, especially child\u2011custody disputes and the broader well\u2011being of children, a priority that intensified after the birth of her daughter Avery [10]. She has described her goal as \u201cmaking things better\u201d for families appearing before her court. Her tenure also marks a symbolic first: her mother\u2019s swearing\u2011in of her represents the first mother\u2011daughter judicial ceremony in the state, underscoring a legacy of female representation in the North Carolina judiciary [8][10].\n\n## Sources\n- [8] [Chevonne Wallace... - The Richmond County Daily Journal](https://www.facebook.com/RCDailyJournal/posts/chevonne-wallace-became-the-first-woman-in-north-carolina-to-be-sworn-in-as-a-di/10156650880200180/?locale=es_LA)\n- [9] [Chevonne Wallace | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/chevonne-wallace)\n- [10] [From the break room to the bench: Chevonne Wallace elected district court judge | Richmond County Daily Journal](https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/news/83678/from-the-break-room-to-the-bench-chevonne-wallace-elected-district-court-judge)\n- [12] [2026 North Carolina candidates](https://www.branch.vote/elections/state/nc/2026-north-carolina-primary-election/races)","firstname":"Chevonne","lastname":"Wallace","middlename":"Rene","suffix":null,"token":"5a7658f946b139f8"},"token":"2AR_yVhNV_iAN3LL"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":null,"o.office":"district_court_judge","office":"district_court_judge","officedescription":"In North Carolina, a district court judge presides over the high-volume lower trial court \u2014 misdemeanors, smaller civil cases, and most family and juvenile matters (custody, support, domestic violence, abuse/neglect). Many litigants appear without lawyers.","officequalities":"- Judge of a high-volume district court \u2014 misdemeanors, smaller civil cases, and family and juvenile matters, often with unrepresented parties.\n- Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.\n- Impartiality and ethics under the North Carolina Code of Judicial Conduct, including recusal when conflicts arise.\n- Working knowledge of family, juvenile, and criminal procedure and the precedent that controls.\n- Efficient management of a heavy docket while honoring due process.\n- Accessibility and clarity for the many who appear without counsel.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"District Court Judge","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Nc District Court Judge District 21 Seat 03"}