District court judge dies suddenly
By From staff reports
Published in News on June 30, 2015 1:46 PM
Judge Timothy Finan
District Court Judge Timothy Finan died early today, according to sources at the Wayne County Courthouse.
Unconfirmed reports indicated he might have suffered a heart attack at home.
"It certainly is a sad day," Wayne County District Attorney Matt Delbridge said. "I always appreciated Judge Finan and his demeanor from the bench, which was always fair but firm. He was always in control of his courtroom, but never abused his authority. He had such an engaging personality defined by his humor and easygoing nature. I will miss him, and our district has lost a great jurist."
Finan, a former attorney for the city of Goldsboro, was appointed to the bench in February 2007 by Gov. Mike Easley.
"Oh my goodness, I couldn't believe it," Mayor Al King said. "We're going to miss him. I've known him for years and years and he worked with us as the city attorney. He made great contributions to Goldsboro and Wayne County."
Finan began his legal career during his four years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force as a prosecutor and defense counsel. He continued to serve in the Air Force for another 24 years as a Reservist. During that time, he served as an instructor teaching trial advocacy to Air Force prosecutors and defense lawyers and as a legal adviser for administrative discharge board proceedings.
Finan received the Legion of Merit and was twice recognized as the outstanding reserve judge advocate in the 9th Air Force before retiring with the rank of colonel.
In the local community, Finan served as chairman of the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross, past president of the Goldsboro Rotary Club, a member of the board of directors of the Wayne County Mental Health Board and a volunteer Guardian ad litem.
He graduated with honors from North Carolina State University in 1974 and received his law degree in 1977 from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Mayor Pro-Tem Chuck Allen said Finan was a family friend for nearly 20 years. Allen also knew Finan through his time serving with him on the Goldsboro City Council.
"It's hard to even comment on it because it's such a shock," Allen said. "He was a great man and just an all-around good person."
Council member Charles Williams worked with Finan for about a half decade on the city council, and said he was "devastated" when he received the news this morning.
"He was the kind of person who had a congenial relationship with everyone," Williams said. "There was absolutely nothing negative about him. He was just an exceptional man that had such a positive impact on this community. We've all suffered a tremendous loss (with Finan's death)."
City Manager Scott Stevens echoed the City Council's comments on Finan's character after hearing the news.
"Judge Finan was always very pleasant to work with and very personable," Stevens said. "He made significant contributions to this community, and it's a big loss for our community."