Meet the Candidate: Shamieka Rhinehart
The Superior Court Judge in District 14 Awaits Word of Any 2024 Challengers
Superior Court Judge Shamieka Rhinehart was promoted to her post in February by Gov. Roy Cooper as the successor to Judge Orlando Hudson, Jr. Now, she goes on the ballot in 2024.
Candidates may start filing on Dec. 4. Rhinehart plans to file and has a campaign website online. If she faces a primary challenger, the primary would see early voting begin on Feb. 15.
Southpoint Access asked Rhinehart to answer five questions for our readers. The same forum is offered to other candidates who might choose to run for office – particularly those who might affect the lives of readers in South Durham.
What qualifications brought you to the bench?
Shamieka Rhinehart: I have more than 18 years of experience working in the court system. In 2005, I became an assistant district attorney in Durham County and served in that position until 2017.
During my time as a prosecutor, I prosecuted various felony and misdemeanor cases as both the property and fraud supervisor and the domestic violence prosecutor. I enjoyed representing the State of North Carolina in felony and misdemeanor jury trials and obtaining just outcomes for victims of crimes. In 2012, I became the supervisor over the District Courts in Durham County, including, but not limited to, Traffic Court, Domestic Violence Court and Criminal District Court. As the supervisor of District Court, I had a substantial caseload and I also trained and supervised assistant district attorneys assigned to District Court. Through the training that I provided, it was important to me to enhance the professional development of young assistants so that they could become better advocates. Moreover, I represented the Durham District Attorney’s office in the state’s first Misdemeanor Diversion Court, which diverted young offenders from the criminal court system.
In 2015, I decided to run for the position of District Court Judge. My 12 years of experience as a prosecutor would serve me well in becoming a judge, specifically because of my jury trial experience and handling thousands of cases. On Nov. 8, 2016, I won my race by 61% of the total ballots cast, and on Jan. 1, 2017, I was sworn in as a District Court Judge. As a District Court Judge, I presided over courts including, but not limited to, Traffic Court, Domestic Violence Court, Abuse, Neglect & Dependency Court, and Child Support Court. I enjoyed being a District Court Judge because I did my best to make sound legal decisions in my cases. Still, I was also able to help individuals who appeared before me who were experiencing crisis and conflict.
In 2022, I sought out the position of Superior Court Judge that was made vacant upon the retirement of the Hon. Orlando F. Hudson, Jr. I believed I was qualified, and I wanted to increase my impact as a judge in the community. District Court judges typically preside in one county, whereas Superior Court judges can serve in any of the 100 counties in North Carolina. On Feb. 8, 2023, Gov. Roy Cooper appointed me to the Superior Court bench. On March 19, 2023, I was sworn in as Durham County’s newest Superior Court Judge. I am certain that I have positively impacted the lives of my fellow citizens by presiding in both criminal and civil courts across our great state as a Superior Court judge.
Can you explain your judicial philosophy?
Shamieka Rhinehart: As a judge, I took an oath to adhere to the law determined by our federal and state constitutions, statutes, and case law. When presiding over my cases, I appreciated the law and the discretion that the law provides to me as I make the best decisions based on facts and circumstances before me, and not based on my personal, political, or religious beliefs. Additionally, I believe in treating everyone who appears before me with the utmost dignity and respect.
How do you balance the role of independent judge and elected official?
Shamieka Rhinehart: Judges are a part of the community; we should give back and impact the communities we serve. Regularly, I volunteer, speak at various events and schools, register voters, and assist with civic organizations.
Judges must run for election and ask citizens for their vote and financial support. Therefore, judges must be independent, and we must balance this independence with being elected. I balance my role as a judge and an elected official by familiarizing myself with the North Carolina Judicial Code of Conduct, which governs what political conduct is permissible from judges. Additionally, I will call the Judicial Standards Commission to ask whether my conduct runs against the North Carolina Judicial Code of Conduct.
What are some of the biggest challenges we face in the local court system?
Shamieka Rhinehart: The three biggest challenges I see are:
Lack of diversity in jury pools.
Lack of language interpreters.
Lack of appropriate trauma responses as a court system.
It is essential for juries to reflect the society at large fairly; however, as our populations continue to grow, so does the diversity within our communities. Our court system has individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as immigrants and refugees, who have been criminally charged. Serving as a juror is one of our highest civic duties for those of us who qualify for a driver’s license. However, for individuals who have fled from their own countries or who are not allowed to obtain driver’s license registration due to their immigration status, we will never have juries that accurately reflect them. There may have to be federal and state legislation passed to address these and other issues in how to remove some of the impediments caused by one’s immigration or refugee status that ultimately allow juries to reflect our diverse communities accurately.
During my tenure as a Judge, I see more diverse litigants who speak languages other than Spanish appear before the court. Currently, there is only one Spanish interpreter for the entire courthouse. We need more Spanish interpreters to be able to meet the language needs of Spanish-speaking litigants effectively. We also need more interpreters who provide interpretation for languages other than Spanish. Once again, the more diversity we have in our community, the more diversity we will have in our courts. Not having a sufficient number of interpreters creates barriers to justice.
One of the biggest challenges today is addressing how those who work within the court system deal with secondary trauma — a trauma that has one to hear information frequently embedded in violence towards others. As judges, we see individuals who appear before us having the worst days of their lives, no matter which side they find themselves on. I do not know the answer to this exact challenge that I raise. My role as a judge is to try to alleviate some of the trauma litigants may feel by explaining the court procedures and processes to them. I am also intentional in being patient and not rushing when presiding over cases. I would like to see our court system be more purposeful in creating a culture that is supportive of secondary trauma situations.
How will you ensure equality for all in your courtroom?
Shamieka Rhinehart: I will ensure equality for everyone in my courtroom by listening to all parties and giving both sides equal time to listen to their arguments and points of contention. Everyone deserves to have a judge sit before them who is fair and impartial and will apply the facts to the law. I ensure equality with an appropriate judicial temperament and patience in hearing my cases.
Additionally, I work hard to ensure equity. When hearing my cases, I reject a “one size fits all” mentality. When I preside over cases, I see individuals, and I consider everyone’s circumstances when rendering a decision. For instance, what may be best for one individual in a case might not work for another person in a different case.
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