Heath seeks another term
By Staff Reports
Published in News on February 25, 2010 1:46 PM
Full Size
Beth Heath
District Court Judge Beth Heath has announced she will seek re-election to another term in the 8th Judicial District that includes Wayne, Lenoir and Greene counties.
In 2002, Heath became the first woman elected to the 8th Judicial District bench. She was re-elected in 2006.
Heath's seat is the only district court judgeship up for election in the 8th District this year.
Heath has presided in criminal, civil, domestic and juvenile courts. She has completed juvenile certification training, as well as specialized training for family drug treatment and domestic violence courts. She currently is primarily assigned to juvenile abuse, neglect and dependency court, juvenile delinquency court, family drug treatment court, domestic violence court and domestic court.
Heath said she believes that through her role as a judge in these courts she is able to require and assist in changes in behaviors which result in safer and more successful families, children and communities.
She has been actively involved in the issue of gang prevention in the 8th District, organizing an effort to obtain a grant for and implementing a gang prevention program. She is active in the community by frequently speaking with youth and adult organizations about the judicial system. She serves as a volunteer judge in Lenoir County's Teen Court program.
Judge Heath currently serves on the Board of Governors for the North Carolina Association of District Court Judges as the elected representative for the 2nd Division, which includes, Greene, Lenoir, Wayne, Craven, Pamlico, Carteret, Onslow, Jones, Duplin, Sampson, Pender and New Hanover counties. She also serves as the judicial representative on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council for Lenoir County.
Before becoming a judge, Heath practiced as an attorney with Wallace, Morris & Barwick in Kinston. She was certified as and acted as a Family Law Mediator. Outside the courtroom, Heath served as secretary-treasurer, vice president and president of the 8th Judicial District Bar.
She is a graduate of Campbell University, The Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell, where she was editor-in-chief of the Campbell Law Review and a magna cum laude graduate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is a Kinston High School graduate.
The general election will be held on May 4. District Court judge races are non-partisan.