{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"James R. Allen","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJames Robert Allen is a candidate for North Carolina District Court Judge in District 29, Seat 5 \u2014 designated the \"Hoke Seat\" \u2014 on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot [1][2]. District 29 serves Hoke and Moore counties in the Sandhills region of North Carolina. Allen filed for the seat on December 1, 2025 and practices law in Raeford, the Hoke County seat [1][2].\n\n## Career\nAllen serves as Assistant General Counsel at Alliance Health, handling legal matters spanning housing, Medicare, and other areas of health system law [3]. He is also the executive director of Teen Court in Hoke County, a juvenile diversion program in which youth participants act as advocates and jurors for peers who have committed minor offenses [3]. Allen has provided pro bono legal representation to underserved residents of Hoke County, including grandparent custody cases and power-of-attorney services for elderly individuals who lack access to private legal counsel [3]. He has been licensed to practice law in North Carolina for approximately 14 years [2].\n\nAllen was recognized by the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center for his commitment to free legal services for low-income and vulnerable populations in Hoke County [3]. In his Teen Court role, he volunteers personally to train youth as legal advocates, viewing expanded access to the justice system as foundational to community health [3].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [2026 General Candidate List by Contest \u2013 NC State Board of Elections](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/2026_general_candidate_list_by_contest_federal_and_state.pdf)\n- [2] [2026 General Candidate Detail List \u2013 NC State Board of Elections](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/2026_general_candidate_detail_list_federal_and_state.pdf)\n- [3] [Highlighting Pro Bono Attorney James R. Allen \u2013 NC Pro Bono Resource Center](https://ncprobono.org/highlighting-pro-bono-attorney-james-r-allen/)\n","firstname":"James","lastname":"Allen","middlename":"Robert","suffix":null,"token":"8783bfc22d5d5c15"},"token":"TFfYwKqd_AfUwYJ1"},{"candidatename":"Yohan Namkung","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Yohan Namkung is a Republican who currently serves as a North Carolina District Court judge for Judicial District 29, which covers Hoke and Moore counties, and who was a candidate in the special general election for District Court District 29 Seat\u202f5 on November\u202f5,\u202f2024 [1]. In that election he appeared on the ballot as the Republican nominee for the vacant district\u2011court seat, though Ballotpedia does not record the election outcome or any campaign platform [1].\n\nNamkung earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Juris Doctor from Campbell University School of Law, as noted in the North Carolina Judicial Branch announcement of his appointment [7]. Prior to becoming a judge, he worked as an assistant district attorney in District\u202f29, handling prosecutions for the region, and he also serves as a captain and judge\u2011advocate trial counsel in the North Carolina Army National Guard [7].\n\nGovernor Roy Cooper appointed Namkung to fill the vacancy left by Judge Regina\u202fJoe in Judicial District\u202f29, making him a sitting district\u2011court judge. The appointment was announced alongside two other judicial appointments and highlights his dual experience in both civilian prosecution and military legal service [7].\n\nBecause Ballotpedia did not receive a completed Candidate Connection survey from Namkung, detailed statements of policy positions or campaign themes are unavailable. The only contact information listed is an email address (YOHANNAMKUNG@GMAIL.COM) provided for outreach to the candidate [1]. No campaign website or phone number is identified in the available sources.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Yohan Namkung (North Carolina District Court District 29 Seat 5, North Carolina, candidate 2024) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Yohan_Namkung_(North_Carolina_District_Court_District_29_Seat_5,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2024))\n- [7] [Governor Cooper Appoints Three District Court Judges | North Carolina Judicial Branch](https://www.nccourts.gov/news/tag/general-news/governor-cooper-appoints-three-district-court-judges)","firstname":"Yohan","lastname":"Namkung","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"23e891dd5a716c16"},"token":"Hxt6VWq8N3Gcdzcf"}],"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 29 Seat 05"}