Democrats are traditional values in my family. My father was a Democrat;
my grandfather was a Democrat; my grandmother was a poll worker, very
active in local politics. I grew up in Shelby which had the Shelby
dynasty which was two
Page 76 Democratic governors back in
the early years of this century, Huey and Gardner. There weren't any
Republicans. I didn't know any Republicans. It wasn't that Republicans
were bad or good. There just weren't any, and so that's the family
values. It's traditional values, so that's why I ran as a Democrat. I
had been active in politics for a long time. All the way from going to
the Team Dem Convention when I was in the seventh grade. That was when
Kennedy ran, so I guess that's when it was my first campaign. I got very
involved in 1960. Then when I lived in Shelby my husband was the young
Democrat chairman, and maybe eventually the chairman of the party. Then
when I moved to Charlotte I worked on various campaigns of people that
were running, and so that is how I got involved in it. I don't think
being a judge should be a partisan position one bit. It was strange to
have to run and not be able to talk about what your positions were. On
the other hand, if a matter is going to appear in front of me I am going
to examine all sides of it and I don't know what my position is going to
be. The fact that at this point in time I might have an idea about
something. I mean I've ruled some times in ways that quite surprised me,
quite frankly. So, I really am glad that this year's election is going
to be non-partisan. Now we all know that issues will come up, but I
think it is important that you're not going to be labeled solely because
of that. We'll see. I've already had a reporter ask me just how
effective I think that will be. I don't know.
Page 77 How
I made the decision about being a judge. I want to talk about that for a
minute, because I've mentioned other things in my life that really were,
or appeared to be happenstance. Almost all the way from going to law
school. I think we talked about this a little last time. I went to law
school because it was three years, you didn't have to write a
dissertation, and you were reasonably assured of getting a job. My
father had just dropped dead of a heart attack, and so I knew that even
if you were happily married you might have to support yourself at some
point in time. So, I went to law school. I clerked for Judge Jones
because they couldn't find my roommate. I went to work at Moore
& Van Allen because I got divorced and wanted to go to work for
a big law firm. I became a litigator because it sounded like what I
ought to do. When I decided I wanted to run for judge, looking back on
it, I feel like it was the first decision in my life that I said, "This
is what I want to do. This is what I am supposed to do." I did not sit
down and write a list of pros and cons. Had I done that I don't think I
would have been a judge under any circumstances. I mean I was a partner
in a big law firm making more money than I ever thought I would have any
idea of making in my life. I told my mother, and she said, "Well honey,
it doesn't look like you're going to get married and have some man take
care of you, and you're going to cut your salary?" I said, "Mother, if I
can't live on what the state pays a Superior Court judge, you didn't
raise me right." And that was the end of that, and that's how I
Page 78 felt about it. Fortunately, I had been not
necessarily frugal, but certainly was in a financial position that I
didn't have a lot of debt, and could take a cut in pay. I didn't have a
giant fancy house, I didn't have children that I had to put through
college. So, I really . . . When I heard Frank Smith was going to retire
after twenty-four years on the bench, the thought was, "Well, I'm still
having a great time practicing law and I really wanted about four or
five more years, but this is it, and if you are going to do it before
some other incumbent gets in, you ought to do it." Now, people tell me
that over the years I had talked about being a judge. I don't really
have any recollection of that, until I heard about Judge Smith. It
really was this almost instant, "This is it." So, I started putting the
things in play, and the first thing that happened was we unexpectedly
had a district court judge resign so I went ahead and after some
thought, tossed my name in the hat for the district court judge. I would
have been happy to be a district court judge. I didn't do it just to get
my name out, but I didn't think that Governor Martin, even though he had
to appoint a Democrat, would appoint me. I was much too visible, and
sure enough he didn't, and I didn't get it. At least people then knew I
wanted to be a judge, so the ice was broken. Because one of the hardest
parts for me about running was people saying, "Well, you are a partner
in this big firm, you've got this reputation, you're on the state bar
council. Why would you want to give that up?" And the answer was, it was
a calling. I know that sounds corny, but I really felt called. What was
so interesting, I decided to do this in November of `89, and
Page 79 I was going to go on a trip in the fall right
about this time. So, I decided to run. The election was in `90. I wrote
a letter, got some friends to agree to get that letter, that mailing
out, and I took off for Nepal. Everything that happened was an
affirmation of my decision. I had a wonderful trip. I made it to the
__________ Sanctuary which was our 15,000 foot goal. I got back home.
People had written. I had great response to the letter. I had great
response to people I talked to. It was just the most affirming event,
and again it was the first event that I felt like, in my life, that I
actually chose to do. I've never regretted it, and when I was out with
cancer the first time I certainly had a lot of time to reflect about
whether that is what I wanted to go back and do. I won't say there
wasn't question, but overwhelmingly I wanted to get back. This time,
I've felt really bad for several months. Now that I feel better, though,
I really miss being on the bench. Again, there is just no question that
this is what I'm supposed to do. It's my opportunity to give back and to
be of service to the community. I've always believed that everybody, but
lawyers in particular because of their special opportunity in training,
have an obligation to give back to the community. I did quite a bit of
pro bono work, work in the community, and now I have a full time job
that is service work and it's where I am supposed to be.