April M. Smith
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April M. Smith is a judge of the 12th Judicial District, which presides over Cumberland County of North Carolina.[1] She was elected on November 4, 2014, to a term that expires on December 31, 2018.[2]
Elections
2014
See also: North Carolina judicial elections, 2014
Smith ran for election to the 12th Judicial District.
General: She defeated incumbent Judge John Clark Reaves in the general election on November 4, 2014, receiving 61.5 percent of the vote.
[1]
Judicial performance evaluation
In July 2014, the North Carolina Bar Association released the results of a survey in which it asked lawyers to rate the judicial candidates for the trial courts. The candidates were rated from one to five on five different criteria as well as on their overall performance.[3]
| April M. Smith | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quality/Skill Rated | # of Responses | Average Rating |
| Integrity & Impartiality | 61 | 3.16 |
| Legal Ability | 62 | 3.11 |
| Professionalism | 61 | 3.13 |
| Communication | 61 | 3.23 |
| Administrative Skills | 49 | 3.10 |
| Overall Performance | 60 | 3.05 |
Education
Smith received her undergraduate degree in child life, magna cum laude, from East Carolina University. She then earned her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law.[4]
Career
Smith began her legal career in a domestic violence assistant internship at the Pitt County District Attorney's Office. She worked for a summer in the legal department for Family Dollar, Inc., and clerked for a summer with James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A. She then worked for the Elder Law Clinic and the Litigation Clinic at Wake Forest University School of Law before joining the Guilford County District Attorney's Office as a victim/witness advocate. Next, she worked for the Office of the Attorney General in Fayetteville, representing the Department of Justice in Cumberland County Child Support Court. She then became an attorney in the Cumberland County Child Support Court, before starting her own law firm, The Law Office of April M. Smith, PLLC, where she practiced at the time of her election to the bench. Her practice focused on family law and traffic violations.[4][5]
Awards and associations
Professional
- Member, Twelfth Judicial District Bar
- Member, Cumberland County Bar Association
- Member, North Carolina Bar Association
- North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys
- Fayetteville Young Professionals
- Former member, American Bar Association
- Former member, North Carolina Advocates For Justice
Community
- Volunteer for Career and Law Days, Brentwood Elementary, Ashley Elementary and Westarea Elementary
- Volunteer, Junior League of Charlotte
- Volunteer, The Family Center (Charlotte, NC)
- Coach, YMCA Youth Soccer League
- Board member, Cape Fear Regional Theater
- Member, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated
- Member, Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church
- Member, Fayetteville Arts Council
- Committee to save Safe Haven Access & Visitation Center[4]
See also
External links
- April Smith 2014 campaign website
- The North Carolina Court System, "Cumberland County - District 12"
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate List Group by Contest," March 4, 2014
- ↑ Judicial selection in North Carolina
- ↑ North Carolina Bar Association, "Judicial Performance Evaluation Survey," July 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 April Smith campaign website, "Resume," accessed August 25, 2014
- ↑ The Law Office of April M. Smith, "About Attorney April M. Smith," accessed August 25, 2014
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina
State courts:
Supreme Court of North Carolina • North Carolina Court of Appeals • North Carolina Superior Courts • North Carolina District Courts
State resources:
Courts in North Carolina • North Carolina judicial elections • Judicial selection in North Carolina
