RALEIGH, N.C.  – North Carolina appellate judges have upheld the conviction of former state Rep. Thomas Wright on three counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.

Wright was found guilty in April 2008 and sent to prison on charges he mishandled charity contributions and fraudulently obtained a $150,000 loan. A three-judge panel on the North Carolina Court of Appeals said Tuesday Wright received a fair trial.

Wright is serving six to eight years for the crime. The Wilmington Democrat was the first sitting member of the General Assembly to be expelled from office in 128 years.

A jury in August 2008 also found Wright guilty of felony obstruction of justice for preventing election officials from enforcing campaign finance laws by failing to report campaign contributions.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A second Court of Appeals judge has announced a bid to join the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Judge Barbara Jackson said Tuesday she will run next year for the Supreme Court seat currently held by Associate Justice Ed Brady. Jackson is a former state Labor Department attorney and associate general counsel to then-Gov. Jim Martin.

Last week, Court of Appeals Judge Bob Hunter said he would run for Brady’s seat, too.

Brady didn’t immediately return a phone call Tuesday about whether he would run for re-election and another eight-year term.

If there are more than three candidates in the officially nonpartisan race, a primary would be held next May to narrow the field to two candidates. The general election is in November 2010.

By Ragan Robinson
Media General News Service

NEWTON – N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Robert C. Hunter announced Tuesday he will run for the N.C. Supreme Court in 2010.

Hunter made a stop in Newton as he went from Asheville to Raleigh declaring his candidacy.
A McDowell County native, Hunter has served on the appeals court for 11 years. He represented McDowell and surrounding counties of the 49th District in the N.C. House of Representatives for 18 years, from 1980 to 1998.

He believes the state’s highest court needs a judge from west of Charlotte, Hunter told a small group of supporters gathered on the front steps of the Catawba County Justice Center.
Catawba County attorney and retired Superior Court Judge Forrest Ferrell, one of Hunter’s supporters, agreed.

“I feel like the Supreme Court should be representative of the entire state,” he said after Hunter’s announcement. “It’s important to have a justice from the west on that court when they make a decision involving this part of the state.”

Hunter is vying for the seat currently held by Justice Edward Thomas Brady, whose term expires in 2010. Brady’s from Cumberland County.

This is Hunter’s second attempt at a state Supreme Court seat. He ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat against Republican Robert F. “Bob” Orr in 2002. Orr won the election by more than 200,000 votes, carrying Catawba County by a nearly 2-1 margin.

Hunter won McDowell County that year by 1,142 votes.

Judges no longer have partisan races.

Hunter said that should act in his favor, as it did when he ran for re-election to the appeals court in 2006. Hunter carried every county in the state that year with the exception of Union County.

“Nonpartisan races work well,” he said. “I’ve been pleased to receive support from Republicans and Democrats.”

“I have no agenda, political or otherwise, to take to the Supreme Court,” he told supporters.

He also said he believes public campaign financing will help further his campaign. Hunter’s Web site says that, to qualify for the financing, he must raise contributions from at least 350 registered voters in North Carolina.

RALEIGH, N.C. – It now costs more to get married, skip a court date or file a foreclosure in North Carolina.

A host of court fees went up Tuesday. State legislators decided last month to collect more to balance the state budget. Higher justice and public safety fees are expected to generate an extra $47 million this year.

Getting a marriage license issued now costs $60, up from $50. The additional $10 goes to domestic violence prevention programs.

The penalty for failing to appear for a court date doubled from $100 to $200. The base fee for filing a foreclosure is now $150, up from $75.

Other changes affect criminal record checks, seat belt violations, paying criminal monetary judgments by installment, and carrying out community service.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to send Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination on to the full Senate.

Republicans came to Judge Sotomayor, impressed by her qualifications and experience, but extremely skeptical of whether she’ll be fair on the bench.

The Judiciary Committee voted 13 to 6 with every Republican except South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham against her.

Graham said his vote is based on her record, not her personal views.

“I can no more understand her heart than she can understand mine,” said   Graham.

The remaining Republicans said they have deep concerns.

“Speeches and articles describe a troubling record that hearing testimony did not resolve, said Utah’s Orrin Hatch.

“I’m not convinced she can set aside personal biases and decide cases based on the constitution,” said Iowa’s Charles Grassley.

“I am not able to confirm this nomination,” said Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama.

Sotomayor brings nearly 30 years experience in law.

That’s more than the last three nominees.

But it’s her controversial statements off the bench, saying judges make law or that a wise Latino could reach a better decision than a white man, that put her on the defensive.

Sotomayor’s supporters insist she’s clearly qualified.

“In her 17 years on bench, not one example of her ruling based on bias or sympathy,” said democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont.

“I certainly don’t see any bias of any kind,” said democratic Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.

“I’ll vote for her with enormous pride,” said California Senator Dianne Feinstein.

A full Senate vote is expected next week.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Legislators have agreed to alter a North Carolina law that allows scorned spouses to sue and collect damages for stolen affection and adultery.

The House voted 63-48 on Wednesday to give final legislative approval to a three-year time limit on lawsuits alleging alienation of affection. Gov. Beverly Perdue must now decide whether to sign the bill into law.

North Carolina is one of only about a half-dozen states that still allow a spouse to sue their wayward partner’s lover for stolen affection.

The bill would stop a spouse from claiming their mate’s love was stolen because of amorous acts committed after separation. Jilted spouses also could not sue a business.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Gov. Bev Perdue Wednesday appointed Anthony (Tony) W. Brown to the District Court bench for the 7th Judicial District for Nash, Wilson and Edgecombe counties.  Brown replaces Judge Robert Evans who was appointed District Attorney for the 7th District.

“Brown’s experience in criminal, civil and family law has prepared him well to hold a seat on the District Court bench,” said Perdue. “He has earned the respect of his peers as a thoughtful and impartial advocate. I am confident he will serve citizens of Nash, Wilson and Edgecombe counties with sound legal decisions and judicial expertise.”

Prior to his legal career, Brown was a juvenile court counselor.  He started his legal career as a private practitioner in Rocky Mount and Oxford, N.C. He spent six years as an assistant district attorney in the district and is currently a solo practitioner in Rocky Mount engaged in the representation of civil and criminal clients. He is active in the community, serving as a church deacon and attorney for the Nash County Democratic Party.

Brown received his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College (Atlanta) in 1973 and earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1979.

RALEIGH, N.C.  – North Carolina Democrats are honoring the first black chief justice of the state Supreme Court by adding his name to an annual party dinner.

The party says the annual Sanford Hunt dinner set for Aug. 29 in Charlotte has been changed to the Sanford Hunt Frye dinner to venerate Henry Frye of Greensboro. The event already is named for

Gov. Jim Hunt and the late governor and U.S. Sen. Terry Sanford. Hunt appointed Frye to the Supreme Court in 1983 and elevated him to chief justice in 1999, where he served until 2001. Frye also became the first black person elected to the Legislature in 1968. Party spokeswoman Kerra Bolton said Frye is a model to all North Carolina residents and not just black citizens.

WASHINGTON  – The White House says President Barack Obama is “very comfortable” that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor shares his philosophy about the Constitution, including rights not specifically spelled out in the document.

Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama did not specifically ask Sotomayor about the right to privacy. The debate over that right has come up in the context of several matters involving the court, including abortion rights.

As a candidate for president, Obama promised that he would not appoint anyone who doesn’t believe in the right to privacy.

Pressed on the matter, Gibbs would only answer broadly, saying Obama was very comfortable with her interpretation of the Constitution being similar to his.