Name as it appears on the ballot: Mark Davis
Age: 53
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: JusticeMarkDavis.com
Occupation & employer: Associate Justice on the NC Supreme Court, State of North Carolina
1) Please tell us what in your record as a public official or private citizen demonstrates your ability to be effective, fair, and impartial on the bench? Please be specific. What do you believe qualifies you to serve as a Supreme Court Justice?
I think experience counts when it comes to serving on the Supreme Court. I have been an appellate judge for almost eight years. I have written over 500 opinions and decided over 1,500 appeals. Before that, I was a practicing attorney for 17 years in both the public and private sectors.
I am proud to have broad bipartisan support within the statewide legal community. I am also proud to have been endorsed by three former Chief Justices, 14 other former appellate judges, 32 former presidents of the State Bar and the NC Bar Association, and by 13 statewide organizations.
2) How do you define yourself politically? How does that impact your judicial approach?
One of my bedrock principles is that a judge’s political beliefs should have no bearing whatsoever on their judicial duties. It is essential that judges do their work in a strictly non-partisan fashion.
3) What do you believe are the three most important qualities a judge must have to be an effective jurist? Which judges, past or present, do you most admire? Why?
I believe the three most important qualities are fairness, integrity, and conscientiousness. Two of my greatest judicial mentors are former Chief Justices Jim Exum and Burley Mitchell. Both Justice Exum and Justice Mitchell exhibited all of the qualities that I believe a judge should possess.
4) In a sentence, how would you define your judicial philosophy?
Judges should always be fair and impartial in every case and the courts should be totally free of any partisan or other bias.
5) Do you favor or oppose public financing of judicial elections? What changes to North Carolina’s system of judicial elections do you believe are necessary, if any?
I believe public funding for judicial elections was a step in the right direction as it greatly reduced the unseemliness of judges asking for financial contributions.
I do not believe that judges should run in partisan races. Otherwise, the public will be led to believe that we are beholden to a particular political party if elected, which is not the case.
6) In many cases, voters know very little about the judges they are electing. Tell us something about yourself that our readers may be surprised to learn.
I am a huge sports fan and greatly enjoy music and movies. I have also written a book about the NC Supreme Court.
Comment on this questionnaire at backtalk@indyweek.com.
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