Candidate for NC Supreme Court, Republican Jefferson Griffin, answers our questions
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Candidates for NC Supreme Court
Republican Jefferson Griffin is running against Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs. Get to know the candidates with our 2024 NC Voter Guide.
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To help inform voters about the Nov. 5, 2024, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The News & Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Jefferson Griffin
District/seat: NC Supreme Court Associate Justice
Political party: Republican
Age as of Nov. 5, 2024: 44
Campaign website: www.jeffersongriffin.com
Current occupation: Judge, NC Court of Appeals; Judge Advocate, U.S. Army
Professional experience: Judge, NC Court of Appeals; Captain, NC Army National Guard; District Court Judge, Wake County; Superior Court Mediator, NCDRC Certified; Attorney, NC Industrial Commission; Prosecutor, Wake County DA’s Office; Attorney, Wallace, Morris, Barwick, Landis and Stroud; Board of Directors, Wake County Bar/10th Judicial District (elected) 2018; President, Lenoir County Bar (elected) 2009; Board of Visitors, NCCU Law
Education: Northern Nash Sr High; BA, UNC-CH; JD, NCCU Law; LLM, Duke Law (expected June 2026); Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course (TJAGLCS, Charlottesville, Virginia); Judge Advocate Officer Advanced Course (TJAGLCS, Charlottesville, Virginia); United States Coast Guard Licensed Captain
Please list any notable government or civic involvement. Raleigh Kiwanis Club, Board of Directors; Step Up Ministry; Kinston Rotary Club; Volunteer Football Coach, Enloe High School; Campbell Law mentorship program; Veterans of Foreign Wars; North Carolina National Guard Association; McIntyre-Whichard mentorship program; Lawyers Read (volunteer in classroom); F3
What areas of the law do you have experience in, as a judge or attorney?
Criminal, civil litigation, appellate, corporate counsel, government/public interest, family law, insurance, labor/employment and taxes/accounting.
Other: I have authored over 200 opinions at the NC Court of Appeals. These have covered a wide range of the law including constitutional law and administrative law in addition to the areas already listed. I have experience as an Army Judge Advocate. I practiced in the areas of national security law, military justice, and law of war while deployed to the Middle East. I have also worked on domestic operations, including disaster relief in North Carolina.
What would be your top priority if elected?
Applying the law as it is written and removing politics from our courts. Notably, we no longer have a former trial court judge serving on the NC Supreme Court. I believe that is a valuable perspective that we need to have represented.
What is your judicial philosophy?
I believe judges should interpret the law, not make the law. The role of a jurist is to apply the law as it is written.
Appellate courts often have to consider weighty constitutional issues with widespread public interest. How do you approach legal issues that have strong partisan divides?
I interpret the law consistently in every case. I uphold my oath as a jurist just as I do as a soldier in the U.S. Army. I took an oath to the Constitution, not a political party. Anyone who is influenced by partisan criticism should not serve as a jurist.
The NC Code of Judicial Conduct has not been updated since 2020. Do you think any changes to the code or its enforcement are necessary?
The code has served us well, but review should be part of an ongoing process. An orderly review should be established to ensure compliance by all members of the judiciary.
Public opinion polls show that Americans’ trust in the U.S. Supreme Court is near an all-time low. What should be done in NC to increase/maintain confidence in our state’s appellate courts?
Restoring confidence in the judicial system begins with a greater emphasis on civics in the classroom. However, issues are politicized by special interest groups as well as the media to ensure readership. All judicial officers should stand above politics and base all actions on the rule of law. With that said, we live in a free society where everyone is entitled to their opinion. The administration of justice should be based on the facts and the law, not favorable public opinion polls.
This story was originally published September 19, 2024 at 7:04 AM.
