Finan's seat to be filled soon
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 6, 2015 1:46 PM
Judicial District 8 bar officials are expected to meet next week to begin the process of finding someone to complete the term of District Court Judge Tim Finan that ends in 2016.
Finan, 62, died last week.
Under state law, the judicial district bar is charged with nominating five candidates who are residents of the district, and who are duly authorized to practice law in the district, for consideration by the governor.
The nominees will be selected by vote of bar members who reside in the district that includes Wayne, Greene and Lenoir counties.
If fewer than five candidates are nominated, the bar is required to certify that there were insufficient nominations in the district to comply with state law.
Bar president Tonya Nicole Davis Barber said that she had been shocked Tuesday to learn of Finan's sudden death that morning.
Finan was a good judge and person, who will be missed, Ms. Barber said.
"As bar president I will send out a notice to bar members setting a deadline for nomination to go on a ballot," she said.
The ballot will be sent to members to vote on their top three choices, she said.
The top names will be sent to Gov. Pat McCrory who can make an appointment from that list or appoint someone else.
"The majority of the time the governor realizes that we know people better than he does and will take our word these are the best candidates," Ms. Barber said.
Emergency judges will help out in District Court until a replacement is appointed.
Finan was appointed to the District Court bench by Gov. Mike Easley in February of 2007 following the resignation of Judge Rose Vaughn Williams, who took a job with the state Insurance Commissioner's Office.
He was Goldsboro city attorney at that time.
According to a press release at that time, Easley said he chose Finan because of his nearly three decades of experience in private practice handling civil and criminal litigation.
Civil cases such as divorce, custody and child support and cases involving less than $25,000 are heard in District Court, along with criminal cases involving misdemeanors and infractions.
The trial of a criminal case in district court is always without a jury.
The district court also hears juvenile cases involving children under the age of 16.