{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nAmanda Maris is a Democratic Party candidate seeking re-election to the North Carolina District Court for District 14, Seat 6 [1]. She currently holds this office, having been appointed by Governor Roy Cooper in August 2017 and subsequently elected to two terms in 2018 and 2022 [10][9]. Her current tenure is scheduled to last until December 31, 2026 [5].\n\nMaris filed her Notice of Candidacy with the State Board of Elections on December 1, 2025, to seek re-election in the upcoming 2026 general election [9]. Her campaign committee, The Committee to Elect Amanda Maris, has solicited support for her bid to remain on the bench in Durham [7]. During her previous campaigns, she received an endorsement from the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund [3][8].\n\n## Background and education\n\nAmanda Maris was appointed to the North Carolina District Court for District 14, Seat 6 by Governor Roy Cooper in August 2017 [10]. She previously served as an assistant public defender in Durham prior to her judicial appointment [10]. The sources provided do not contain information regarding her birthplace, year of birth, upbringing, religion, or specific educational background including schools attended and degrees earned.\n\n## Career\n\nPrior to her judicial service, Amanda Maris worked as an assistant public defender in Durham [10]. In 2017, Governor Roy Cooper appointed her to serve as a district court judge for District 14, Seat 6 [10]. She assumed the bench in 2018 [7].\n\nDuring her tenure on the bench, Maris co-founded the Durham Expunction and Restoration (DEAR) Program in 2018, an initiative designed to assist individuals with expunging their criminal records [7]. The program has been cited as a model for other jurisdictions [7]. She has also authored legal commentary regarding domestic violence protections for same-sex couples [4].\n\nMaris holds the office of North Carolina District Court Judge for District 14, Seat 6, with her current term scheduled to end on December 31, 2026 [5]. Her professional profile is listed on the North Carolina Judicial Branch website and Trellis.Law [2][6].\n\n## Office history\n\nAmanda Maris was appointed to the North Carolina District Court for District 14, Seat 6 by Governor Roy Cooper in August 2017, serving as an assistant public defender prior to her appointment [10]. She subsequently won election to this seat in the 2018 general election and was re-elected in the 2022 general election [9]. Her tenure on the bench began in 2024 according to Ballotpedia, though she has served continuously since her initial appointment [1].\n\nMaris is currently seeking re-election for District Court Judge in District 14, Seat 6 in the 2026 general election [9]. She filed her Notice of Candidacy with the State Board of Elections on December 1, 2025 [9]. As of May 2026, she remains a candidate for this office, and the outcome of the upcoming election is unknown [9].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nAs a District Court Judge, Maris does not sponsor legislation or cast legislative votes, as these functions are reserved for elected members of the North Carolina General Assembly. Her policy influence is exercised through judicial rulings and court administration. In her first year on the bench in 2018, she co-founded the Durham Expunction and Restoration (DEAR) Program, an initiative that has been described as a model for other jurisdictions [7].\n\nMaris\u2019s judicial record includes decisions regarding equal protection and domestic violence statutes. She has publicly supported rulings that prevent North Carolina from barring same-sex couples from accessing domestic violence protective orders, characterizing such legal outcomes as both legally and morally correct [4]. Her professional background includes service as an assistant public defender prior to her appointment by Governor Roy Cooper in 2017 [10].\n\nMaris self-describes her tenure as involving tireless work to ensure the fair administration of justice for parties appearing before her and across the broader justice system [7]. She has received endorsements from organizations such as the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund during her campaign cycles [3][8].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Amanda Maris - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Amanda_Maris)\n[2] [Amanda Maris | North Carolina Judicial Branch](https://www.nccourts.gov/judicial-directory/amanda-maris)\n[3] [Amanda Maris on LinkedIn: BIG NEWS! Victory Fund has announced it is endorsing my race for District\u2026](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amanda-maris-63542749_big-news-victory-fund-has-announced-it-is-activity-6903521571080605696-Dex2)\n[4] [Amanda Maris on LinkedIn: NC can\u2019t bar same-sex couples from domestic violence protection, state\u2019s\u2026](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amanda-maris-63542749_nc-cant-bar-same-sex-couples-from-domestic-activity-6908288067820765184-f_85)\n[5] [Amanda Maris | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/amanda-maris)\n[6] [Judge Amanda L. Maris - Professional Background & Legal Expertise | Trellis.Law](https://trellis.law/judge/amanda.l.maris)\n[7] [The Committee to Elect Amanda Maris](https://secure.democracyengine.com/AmandaMaris)\n[8] [Maris, Amanda \u2013 LGBTQ+ Victory Fund](https://victoryfund.org/candidate/amanda-maris-3/)\n[9] [NEWS & EVENTS | judgeamandamaris](https://www.judgeamandamaris.com/news-events)\n[10] [Cooper taps assistant public defender for Durham district court judgeship \u2022 NC Newsline](https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/cooper-taps-assistant-public-defender-durham-district-court-judgeship/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"district_court_judge_dist_016_seat_06","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc District Court Judge District 16 Seat 06"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Amanda","fullname":"Amanda Leigh Maris","lastname":"Maris","middlename":"Leigh","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"district_court_judge_dist_016_seat_06","contest_title":"Nc District Court Judge District 16 Seat 06","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"district_court_judge","office_title":"District Court Judge","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"district_court_judge_dist_016_seat_06","contest_title":"Nc District Court Judge District 16 Seat 06","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"district_court_judge","office_title":"District Court Judge","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"district_court_judge","office_title":"District Court Judge","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Amanda Maris is a Democratic District Court Judge for NC District 16 (formerly Seat 06/14) in Durham, appointed in 2017 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022.","terms":[],"token":"ee912d91c2bd0391"}