Sean Cole

Sean Cole (Democratic Party) is a judge for Judicial District 10C of the North Carolina 3rd Superior Court Division. He assumed office on January 1, 2025. His current term ends on December 31, 2032.

Cole (Democratic Party) ran for election for the Judicial District 10C judge of the North Carolina 3rd Superior Court Division. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Cole completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Sean Cole's career experience includes working as an attorney and small business owner. He earned a bachelor's degree from King University in 1994 and a law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1997.^[1]

Cole has been affiliated with the following organizations:^[1]

National Eagle Scout Association
Wake County Bar Association
North Carolina Advocates for Justice
Southern Trial Lawyers Association
American Association for Justice
Million Dollar Advocates' Forum
Multi-Million Dollar Advocates' Forum

Elections

2024

General election

General election for North Carolina 3rd Superior Court Division Judicial District 10C

Sean Cole defeated incumbent Rebecca Waters Holt and Stephanie Davis in the general election for North Carolina 3rd Superior Court Division Judicial District 10C on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sean Cole (D)	48.3	60,119
	Submit photo	Rebecca Waters Holt (R)	43.8	54,535
	Submit photo	Stephanie Davis (Unaffiliated)	7.8	9,748

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 124,402
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Sean Cole advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina 3rd Superior Court Division Judicial District 10C.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Rebecca Waters Holt advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina 3rd Superior Court Division Judicial District 10C.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cole in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Sean Cole completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cole's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a trial lawyer having lived and worked in Raleigh for over 27 years. I grew up on the VA/ KY border and am the son and grandson of public school teachers. I'm an Eagle Scout. I play several musical instruments and spent my college summers working at Holston Presbytery Camp in Banner Elk, NC. I'm married and we have a 16 year-old daughter in public school in Raleigh. We volunteer through our church and support Legal Aid regularly. I'm a strong believer in pro-bono legal work and have been named to the Chief Justice's N.C. Pro Bono Honor Roll several times. I graduated cum laude from King University in Bristol, TN in 1994 with a degree in history with Honors in Independent study of the life and work of Associate Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. I graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem in 1997, passed the bar and moved to Raleigh, where I've been practicing law ever since. I have a wide range of courtroom experience, having handled over two thousand cases, involving insurance law, personal injury, class actions, family law, commercial issues, imminent domain, unfair and deceptive trade practices, surety law, construction law, and professional licensing. I'm a trained superior court mediator with additional training in collaborative law. I've tried dozens of cases across our state.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Above all, judges are public servants. The law must be applied fairly, but always with an eye toward serving, protecting and promoting ALL the members of our community.
Everyone should have a place at the courthouse. Money should not be a barrier to justice, but it often is. No one should feel left out or barred from the courthouses of our country. Even someone who has committed a crime and knows they are likely to be punished should still know that they will receive all the protections of the law regardless of race, creed, or economic status. Parties to civil lawsuits should not feel they are less important than those involved in criminal matters.
Our federal and state constitutions are living documents and should be interpreted that way. They were written to allow change as society's needs change over time, and claiming to be a "strict constructionist" dishonors the sacrifices of all those who came before us who defended those documents. A lot has changed since 1787.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The right of women to decide what happens with their own bodies. The ability of everyone to have access to healthcare. Getting rid of mandatory minimums in criminal sentencing, as they are inherently racist and are targeted directly at the African-American population. Abolishing systemic racism. Promoting education and opportunity for everyone. Respecting all genders and orientations in the courts and in society. Enhancing job safety and financial security for teachers, police, firefighters and all first responders. Protecting and honoring our veterans. Protecting our country while continuing to be welcome to immigrants. Getting rid of violence and dishonesty in politics. Providing decent housing for all. Protecting our environment.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

There are numerous books about Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall and his work before and after his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court, and I'd recommend those. Marshall was both a visionary and a pragmatist, who said, "I did the best I could with what I had." He always wanted and stove for something better, and when that was not possible at the moment, he stayed true to himself and tried to work for the betterment of other people.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Fairness, integrity, vision, and acceptance of one's own limitations are all essential traits for public officials. But above all, elected officials must see that their offices are a public trust, that whatever power and authority they have MUST be used for the benefit of the people, and not for self-promotion. Our system of checks and balances in government is an amazing achievement, and members of all three branches must know when to work together, and when to stand up to the other branches for the public good. "Service" must be the watchword, the focus, and the heart of every elected office.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I have known judges where other lawyers said, "You don't want to go into their courtroom." That's the legacy I do NOT want to leave. I want people to remember that they could rely on my word, that I listened to them, and that I tried to put the interests of the people before my own interests.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I mowed grass and detailed cars for various family members. I had those jobs from when I was about 10 until I was, well, I washed my mom's Jeep just a couple of weeks ago, so I guess I've still got it. I don't remember getting paid this time, though . . .

What is your favorite book? Why?

I have four favorite books: The Lord of the Rings (okay, that's technically three books), Dune, The Stand, and Lonesome Dove. I love all three of them because all three are about a small group of friends trying to save, change, or survive their world.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Han Solo

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

Earl Warren, Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?

I have been rated by the Martindale-Hubbell rating systems which uses both other attorneys and judges to perform anonymous surveys as to legal ability and ethical standards of an attorney. I was given the rating of "AV / Preeminent" which means the lawyer, in the opinion of courts and colleagues, has the highest level of legal ability and knowledge, the highest level of ethics, and excellent communication ability. I was awarded this honor in 2008 and have maintained it ever since. I have also been selected as a "Super Lawyer" through the Thompson-Rueters evaluation system for over 15 years.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be, but in an evolving society, new ideas and approaches should always be valued.

Do you believe that Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge’s ability?

Your reputation is all you've really got when it comes to nearly any area of work. The ratings by these groups and Bar Associations are not the final word on anything, but I think they can be helpful in letting the public know what other legal professionals think about an attorney before they hire them or vote for them.

Tell us your favorite joke.

A kangaroo hops into a bar and orders a whiskey sour. The bartender makes the drink and hands it over, says, "that'll be twenty dollars." The kangaroo hands over a twenty and stands there drinking and looking around. The bartender watches her and cleaning some glasses. Finally he says, "you know, we don't get many kangaroos in here . . ." The kangaroo looks at him and says, " at twenty bucks a drink, I'm not surprised."

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Raleigh-Wake Citizens' Alliance, the Wake County Voter Education Coalition, and the Wake County Democratic Party

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

North Carolina 3rd Superior Court Division Judicial District 10C

Personal

Footnotes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 7, 2024

North Carolina courts

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

[bio-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 7, 2024

[1]

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Sean Cole

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for North Carolina 3rd Superior Court Division Judicial District 10C

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

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Public Policy

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