View from the Bench: Straight from the Trial Judges - ON-DEMAND

*This is the ON-DEMAND Version of the LIVE Webinar from 10/21/23.*

This CLE offers practical instruction and valuable insights directly from Superior Court judges who preside over criminal and civil cases in North Carolina. Learn what judges think about essential topics, such as:

• What “best practices” make lawyers stand out in court,
• How to avoid the “top ten” mistakes judges see in court,
• What conduct is and is not appropriate decorum in the courtroom or on WebEx
• How lawyers can best help the trial judge make correct rulings, use of technology in the courtroom, common blunders, and ways to maximize its effectiveness
• How to make the most of your jury selection from voir dire and use of strikes
• What lawyers can do to promote equality in the justice system
• How courtroom interactions with opposing counsel can affect your case
• How to dodge pitfalls at trial and in motion practice
• What lawyers can do to help the bar preserve professionalism and high ethical standards.

The following North Carolina Superior Court Judges will make up the panel:

• Hon. Gale M. Adams, Resident Superior Court Judge, District 12B
• Hon. Kent Harrell, Resident Superior Court Judge, District 5B
• Hon. Eric C. Morgan, Resident Superior Court Judge, District 21C
• Hon. Louis A. Trosch, Resident Superior Court Judge, District 26H
• Hon. Brian Wilks, Resident Superior Court Judge, District 14B

Asheville attorney Senta Rhodes will moderate the panel.

3 hours of North Carolina Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit

The Mediation Center is an approved CLE sponsor under the regulations promulgated by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Continuing Legal Education.

SCHEDULE

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Presentations by each Judge

3:00 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. – BREAK

3:10 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Presentations by each Judge

4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Panel Discussion/Q&A

PRESENTERS

Hon. Gale M. Adams, Resident Superior Court Judge, is a Superior Court Judge for Judicial District 12B in Cumberland County. She assumed office on January 1, 2013. Judge Adams received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from the North Carolina Central School of Law. Judge Adams began her career as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Navy before working as an Assistant District Attorney in Fayetteville. She then became an Assistant Federal Public Defender prior to her election to the bench.

Hon. Kent Harrell, Resident Superior Court Judge, is a Superior Court Judge for Judicial District 5B in New Hanover and Pender Counties. He was elected in the general election in 2016. Judge Harrell obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in History from UNC-Charlotte and a J.D. from N.C. Central University School of Law. Prior to his election, Judge Harrell had a private practice focusing on both criminal and civil work, handling everything from traffic offenses to capital murder trials to and assisting individuals and small business owners in a variety of issues, including contract and land disputes, negligence claims, estates, guardianships, and other civil issues dealt with in Superior Court. He also has served as the attorney advocate for the Guardian Ad Litem program, representing abused and neglected children in DSS court.

Hon. Eric C. Morgan, Resident Superior Court Judge, is a Superior Court Judge for Judicial District 21C in Forsyth County. He was initially appointed to Superior Court Judge by Governor Pat McCrory on November 3, 2014, and elected in the general election in 2016. Judge Morgan earned his BA in history from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from the University of Texas Law School. Prior to serving as a Judge, Judge Morgan has been a partner with the law firm Wells Jenkins Lucas & Jenkins and an associate at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice.

Hon. Louis A. Trosch, Resident Superior Court Judge, Is a Superior Court Judge in the 26th Judicial District in Mecklenburg County. He served as a District Court Judge, mainly in the Juvenile and Family Courts, from 1999 until his election to the Superior Court Bench 2018. He obtained his B.A. from Washington and Lee University and J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Judge Trosch has experience in business law, federal and state court systems, juvenile and child welfare law, and racial inequities in the Criminal Justice System. Judge Trosch has been an Adjunct Professor in the Belk College of Business at UNC-Charlotte since 1995, teaching Business Law I and II.

Hon. Brian Wilks is a Superior Court Judge in Judicial District 14B. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of South Carolina at Columbia and his law degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law. Upon graduation, he worked as an assistant public defender in Durham County from 1997 to 2001, a private practitioner from 2001 to 2003, an adjunct professor at North Carolina Central University School of Law from 2000 to the present, and an assistant attorney general from 2003 to 2007. In February 2007, Wilks joined the Durham district attorney’s office as the supervisor of district court operations. On July 21, 2008, Governor Michael Easley appointed Wilks to the 14th Judicial District court bench. As a district court judge, he presided over juvenile abuse, neglect, and dependency cases; civil jury matters; child support matters; misdemeanor criminal matters; traffic court; and criminal first appearances. Wilks was also the presiding judge in Durham County’s adult drug treatment court. He served in this role until his appointment to Judicial District 14B in 2021.

Moderator Senta Rhodes - Senta Rhodes is an experienced trial attorney with Grimes Teich Anderson. She has worked for nearly five years, primarily focusing on personal injury law. Before joining Grimes Teich Anderson, Senta was an Assistant District Attorney in the Major Felony Crimes Division in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There, she prosecuted more than 20 jury trials and 50 bench trials. She is experienced in gathering evidence, examining experts, and negotiations. She was previously an Assistant State's Attorney in the Domestic Violence Unit for the District Court Division in Prince George's County, Maryland, where she prosecuted both bench and jury trials, negotiated plea agreements, and examined witnesses before the Grand Jury. She received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and J.D. from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in Washington, DC.

All registration fees benefit The Mediation Center.