Supreme Court Candidates Discuss Issues

Justices G.K. Butterfield and Bob Orr and Judge Bob Hunter discussed issues of voter concern as 100 people watched at UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Law. The debate was hosted by the school and the N.C. Center for Voter Education.

Orr, a Republican who is seeking a second eight-year term on the state's high court, is running against Hunter, a Democratic N.C. appellate court judge.

Butterfield, a Democratic N.C. Supreme Court justice, is running for a second term against Edward Brady, a Republican lawyer from Fayetteville. Brady declined to participate in the question-and-answer debate and was not in attendance.

Candidates focused on issues revolving around the judicial election and its decidedly partisan leanings.

Butterfield said he completely supported the Judicial Reform Act, which was approved Oct. 2 by the N.C. General Assembly. The act gives taxpayers the option to give $3 to judicial elections via state tax forms and eliminates private donations.

Butterfield said he thinks reform is a step in the right direction in making judicial elections less partisan.

"I leave my politics in the hallway," Butterfield said when asked about accusations that the N.C. Supreme Court is legislating from the bench.

He also asserted that he makes all his judicial decisions according to "the letter of the law."

Orr addressed the fact that the court system has been historically underfunded. The N.C. judicial system receives only about 2.7 percent of the annual state budget, he said.

His solution to the dearth of funding includes the appointment -- not the election -- of the chief justice, which would bring stability to the system and save money, he said.

Both Orr and Hunter said they believe judges initially should be appointed and then go through a retention election later on.

But the reasons behind each candidate's belief contrasted.

Orr said he thinks a partial appointment system would decrease partisanship in the judiciary.

Hunter said he thinks such a system would allow for a better balance of Democrats and Republicans in the judiciary.

For the first time in 100 years, Republicans dominate the N.C. Supreme Court, holding a 5-2 majority.

"There hasn't been a Republican majority in the N.C. Supreme Court since 1896," Orr said. "It is kind of strange that now the Democrats are calling for balance."

Both candidates said they think it is important that voters are not taken out of the judicial election process.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.