Martin Moore is a Democrat running for a seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. The court hears all civic and criminal appeals from superior and district courts (with the exception of death penalty cases.) The Court of Appeals has 15 judges who rotate and they hear cases in panels of three. If one of the judges dissents, the case can then be appealed to the state Supreme Court. Judges are elected through partisan elections to eight year terms. (This is new. The seats were non-partisan beginning in 2004 until a law passed in 2016 made them partisan again starting in 2008.) Democrats hold only 4 of the 15 Court of Appeals seats and three seats are up for election this year. Moore is running for seat 15.
Moore began his career as a public defender, and now runs a mediation and appellate law practice. During the 2022 election cycle, Moore was the only Democrat across the entire state who flipped a Republican-held county commissioner seat, in Buncombe County. We asked him about that, and how his previous experiences will shape the way he governs.
During the 2022 election cycle, you were the only Democrat in North Carolina to flip a Republican-held county commissioner seat, winning 55 percent to 44 percent against NASCAR Hall of Fame member Robert Pressley. Tell us a little bit about how you approached that.
One of the great parts about living in and running a campaign in Buncombe is that we had the opportunity to dig deep on local issues and focus on solutions with our neighbors.
I believe my background, vision, and work in our community resonated with many neighbors, but I think we got folks excited by being willing to put in the work: knocking on doors, listening tours, and having genuine conversations about how we build a stronger community.
You are a former public defender. How will that shape the way you govern?
Serving as a public defender gave me insight into what everyday people go through when interacting with our legal system. I was working with folks going through the worst moments of their lives, facing mental health challenges, struggling with sobriety, and working to get their lives back on track. Counseling neighbors of every background through those challenges helped me appreciate where our system could improve and a deep understanding of what crime prevention can look like in our community.
Every day that I would go to court, the goal was to assure equal treatment under the law and a level playing field. Justice should not change based on your zip code or how much you have in your wallet.
I’ve kept those lessons and values throughout my years in private practice.
What do you wish reporters asked you? Why?
I wish folks would ask Court of Appeals candidates more about what experiences helped shape the way they view the law. North Carolinians deserve to know the values and experiences that shape the perspective of the judges who are making important decisions about their lives.
For most cases that are appealed, civil or criminal, the Court of Appeals is the last stop. That means that whether it’s a case on reproductive rights or the death penalty, a Court of Appeals judge has to be ready to rule on that case.
As I shared earlier, I began my career as a public defender. In private practice, I worked on complex civil cases, appellate matters, mediations, and practiced in state, federal, and business courts throughout North Carolina.
The majority of my practice has always been helping the people of North Carolina. Whether it’s a juvenile facing their first (hopefully only) issue in juvenile court or representing a survivor of domestic violence seeking court protection from their abuser, I know that the law, our Constitution, and courts have the tremendous power and responsibility to protect the people of our state.
What does the North Carolina Court of Appeals do?
The Court of Appeals was created to assure that the lower courts across our state are applying the law and Constitution in a just manner. In many cases, this means that when a lower court makes a legal error or violates an important procedure or Constitutional right, the Court of Appeals is there to rectify any mistake.
In an ideal world, the Court of Appeals is one of the last safeguards against partisanship and extremism, assuring that the constitutional rights are always protected.
What can you share about your judicial philosophy to help readers understand how you might approach important issues that come before the court?
Equal justice under the law is more than a concept. I believe that it is a commitment to assuring that we apply the Constitution fairly and that we, as judicial candidates seeking to earn your vote, put our values on the table. When elected, transparency, accountability, and integrity will set the standard for how I preside.
As both an attorney and County Commissioner, I have had many opportunities to see that the Court of Appeals’ decisions are not playing out in a vacuum: the Courts are making decisions that impact our daily lives.
Our state and country have seen what happens when extremism prevails over justice. Courts are making decisions about school funding, what access to healthcare looks like, and whether the law applies to certain political positions. Judges should not be a rubber-stamp for their legislature.
I want North Carolinians to know that I believe extremism has no place in our courts. We can apply the Constitution and work toward a system that everyone can believe in, but that means we need to elect judges who are committed to rule of law and have spent their careers working for just outcomes, not simply shouting buzzwords.
(We ask every candidate this question) If you could design a pair of Crocs for yourself, what would they look like?
Can we wear Crocs in court? If I owned a pair, they’d have to pay homage to my alma mater: blue and white. Go Heels!
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