Our independent courts are under attack. Help fight back.

North
Carolinians want...
Fair courts

North Carolinians deserve state courts and judges that are fair, impartial, and independent.

But just like in Washington, our courts are under threat from politicians and their agendas.

The court’s independence is crucial in order to ensure fair maps and elections; being the last line of defense against political gerrymandered maps. For the past decade, the North Carolina legislature has worked to politicize our courts in order to solidify electoral power. They’ve passed bills that change all judicial elections from non-partisan to partisan and eliminated campaign finance restrictions for judicial candidates. Their goal is to elect judges that are loyal to a political party instead of the law. The result is millions of dollars spent on partisan races to elect judicial candidates indebted to partisanship. 

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby has taken this effort to new heights. Justice Newby replaced the head of the Judicial Standards Commission, which provides ethical guidance to judges. And, Associate Supreme Court Justice Phil Berger Jr., a Newby recruit, has refused to recuse from cases involving his father, state Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger Sr., including cases challenging Berger Sr. ‘s gerrymandered hold on power. 

This is wrong.

State courts are crucial

State courts are often the final deciders on crucial issues that impact our everyday lives, such as voting rights, fair elections, public education, and civil liberties. And in an increasingly partisan world, our courts must be free of political pressure and party loyalty.

North Carolinians understand the power of the courts, especially when it comes to ensuring free and fair elections. That is why Fair Courts NC was established – for North Carolinians of all backgrounds to demand that our judicial system be free of politics and judges are able to rule impartially.

We can change this

with three simple reforms:

  • Do not force state judges to be partisan. Judges should be able to run for election as independent by lower ballot access thresholds or making judicial elections nonpartisan again.
  • Ban judges from partisan political activity  – like endorsing and fundraising for other candidates – when they are not on the ballot.
  • Establish clear ethics rules that would ban judges from hearing cases involving friends and family members.

Join the fight to keep our courts fair, impartial, and independent.

Take action
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Sign the Pledge

I pledge to support candidates for North Carolina Supreme Court who agree:

  • Judges should be able to run for election as independent by lower ballot access thresholds or making judicial elections nonpartisan again.
  • Judges should be banned from partisan political activity  – like endorsing and fundraising for other candidates – when they are not on the ballot.
  • Clear ethics rules that would ban judges from hearing cases involving friends and family members should be established.

Share The Pledge