{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nTia Hudgins Taylor currently serves as a District Court Judge for Judicial District 8 in North Carolina, which encompasses Nash, Edgecombe, and Wilson counties [6]. She was appointed to fill the seat of Judge William Solomon by Governor Josh Stein in March 2025, a selection that proceeded without following the recommendation of the local bar [6]. Taylor was subsequently sworn into office, marking her entry onto the bench for District 8 [4].\n\nTaylor is running for re-election to District Court Judge for District 008 Seat 03 in the upcoming 2026 election. As a judge appointed by a Democratic governor and seeking retention or re-election in a state where judicial races are often nonpartisan or influenced by party affiliation, her campaign operates within the context of her current judicial tenure. The outcome of this 2026 race remains unknown as the election has not yet occurred.\n\n## Background and education\n\nTia Hudgins Taylor is a graduate of Queens University of Charlotte, where she earned her degree in 2015 [3][5]. She subsequently attended Elon University for her legal education, graduating from its law school [5].\n\nSpecific details regarding her birthplace, year of birth, upbringing, or religious affiliation are not provided in the available source materials.\n\n## Career\n\nTia Hudgins Taylor practiced law in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, as an attorney at Lassiter & Sperati, PLLC [13]. Her legal practice areas included real estate, estate planning and probate, business law, civil litigation, collections, and criminal defense [13][15]. Prior to her judicial appointment, she served as an assistant attorney in criminal law for the North Carolina 8th District Court [9][10].\n\nGovernor Josh Stein appointed Taylor to fill a vacancy in the District Court for Judicial District 8, which encompasses Edgecombe, Nash, and Wilson counties, on March 31, 2025 [1][2][6]. The appointment followed the retirement of Judge William Solomon in September 2024 [9][10][11]. Taylor was sworn in as a judge later in the spring of 2025 [4][14]. She is an alumna of Queens University of Charlotte, graduating in 2015, and Elon University School of Law, graduating in 2018 [3][5][12][14].\n\n## Office history\n\nIn March 2025, Governor Josh Stein appointed Tia Hudgins Taylor to the District Court bench for Judicial District 8, which encompasses Nash, Edgecombe, and Wilson counties [1][2][6]. She was appointed to fill the seat of Judge William Solomon, who filed to run for another office [6]. Taylor\u2019s appointment followed a selection process in which Governor Stein did not follow the recommendation of the local bar [6].\n\nTaylor was sworn in as District Court Judge for the 8th Judicial District later in 2025 [4][7]. She currently serves as an elected or appointed judge in this role, with her term continuing through the current election cycle [8].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Governor Stein Announces District Court Appointments](https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/03/31/governor-stein-announces-district-court-appointments)\n[2] [Governor Stein Appoints District Court Judges for Districts 8 and 9](https://www.nccourts.gov/news/tag/general-news/governor-stein-appoints-district-court-judges-for-districts-8-and-9)\n[3] [Queens Alumni and Engagement's Post - LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/queens-university-of-charlotte-alumni-and-engagement_congratulations-to-tia-hudgins-taylor-15-activity-7314013412483624960-GQUJ)\n[4] [I had the immense honor of capturing this historic moment as Tia ...](https://www.facebook.com/orahp1/posts/i-had-the-immense-honor-of-capturing-this-historic-moment-as-tia-hudgins-taylor-/10161019370595740/)\n[5] [Congratulations to Tia Hudgins Taylor '15 on being appointed as a ...](https://www.instagram.com/p/DICYeHQPXoJ/)\n[6] [GOVERNOR PICKS NEW JUDGE By Lindell Kay Gov. Josh Stein is ...](https://www.facebook.com/ncfightingcrime/posts/governor-picks-new-judgeby-lindell-kaygov-josh-stein-is-expected-to-soon-name-ti/1184970786418689/)\n[7] [Tia Hudgins Taylor - District Court Judge - Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/61575880211852/photos/d41d8cd9/122188569740862673/)\n[8] [District Court Judge - Tia Hudgins Taylor - Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/61575880211852/photos/d41d8cd9/122147807450862673/)\n[9] [Last fall, Judge William Solomon of the North Carolina 8th District ...](https://www.instagram.com/p/DIjbmlCMCqY/)\n[10] [Last fall, Judge William Solomon of the North Carolina 8th District ...](https://www.facebook.com/ElonNewsNetwork/posts/last-fall-judge-william-solomon-of-the-north-carolina-8th-district-court-retired/1211356614328602/)\n[11] [Elon Law graduate appointed as district court judge - Elon News Network](https://www.elonnewsnetwork.com/article/2025/04/elon-law-graduate-appointed-district-court-judge)\n[12] [Gov. Josh Stein appoints Elon Law alum as District Court Judge | Today at Elon | Elon University](https://www.elon.edu/u/news/2025/04/02/gov-josh-stein-appoints-elon-law-alum-as-district-court-judge/)\n[13] [Taylor, Tia H. | Rocky Mount, North Carolina | Lassiter & Sperati, PLLC](https://www.kldslawfirm.com/attorney/tia-h-taylor/)\n[14] [Elon University](https://www.facebook.com/ElonUniversity/posts/gov-josh-stein-has-now-appointed-tia-hudgins-taylor-l18-as-a-district-court-judg/1104011368432638/)\n[15] [Tia H. Taylor Lawyer | Lexinter Law Directory](https://attorneys.lexinter.net/lawyers/tia-h-taylor)","campaigns":[{"contest":"district_court_judge_dist_008_seat_03","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc District Court Judge District 08 Seat 03 (Unexpired)"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Tia","fullname":"Tia Hudgins Taylor","lastname":"Taylor","middlename":"Hudgins","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"district_court_judge_dist_008_seat_03","contest_title":"Nc District Court Judge District 08 Seat 03 (Unexpired)","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_008_seat_03","contest_title":"Nc District Court Judge District 08 Seat 03 (Unexpired)","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":"Tia Hudgins Taylor was appointed by Gov. Stein as District Court Judge for NC's 8th Judicial District (Nash, Edgecombe, Wilson), filling the vacancy left by William Solomon.","terms":[],"token":"f85ad54a31109ee3"}