It was a distinguished honor to appear before my friends in the Robeson County legal community on Nov. 3 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the North Carolina District Courts. I was humbled to share the podium at the Robeson County Courthouse with North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby and Chief District Court Judge Stan Carmical. Moreover, it was especially humbling to appear before the people in Robeson County — my roots run deep here in North Carolina, where I call Brunswick County home, and speaking to you was like speaking to family.

Having served as a District Court judge in Bladen, Columbus and Brunswick counties, I can attest that District Courts are the courts that are the closest to the people and most likely to affect the everyday lives of North Carolinians. The people who serve in Robeson County District Courts are your family, friends, and neighbors. These are the people with whom you can celebrate during good times, and depend on in times of crisis. District Courts have been a reliable source of justice in Robeson County for the past 50 years, but that has not always been the case.

In 1966, the North Carolina General Assembly sought to reform a justice system that was often imbalanced and inconsistent in its application of the law. They recognized that citizens must be able to rely-on their justice system for a fair, independent and accessible forum in which to seek a just resolution for their legal claims. With this in mind, they created the General Court of Justice, a state-funded unified court system that consists of three divisions: Appellate Court, Superior Court, and District Court. The days were over for the “Mayberry-style” county officials who performed multiple functions with conflicting responsibilities. It is the anniversaries of this new system of fair and consistent justice that we are celebrating in 2016-19.

This past January, Mark Martin, chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, announced an initiative that is designed to bring together all North Carolinians to celebrate court anniversaries between 2016 and 2019. Anniversaries within this time period include the 50th anniversaries of the Unified Court System, District Court, Court of Appeals, and Administrative Office of the Courts. Additional milestones during the next three years include the 200th anniversary of the Supreme Court and the 240th anniversary of the Superior Court. These anniversaries provide a great opportunity for North Carolinians to reflect on the importance of the rule of law, the fair and impartial administration of justice, and the Judicial Branch’s public service in upholding individual rights for the betterment of all people.

Recently, the people of Eastern North Carolina have experienced more than our fair share of hardship. I want you to know that you can rely on North Carolina’s fair and impartial justice system. I hope that you will find some comfort when reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the North Carolina District Courts as a testament to our steadfast commitment to justice and rule of law. These are your courts and I invite you to learn more about them and the important role they have in your community. One way you can participate is by requesting a speaker through the Judicial Branch Speakers Bureau. The Speakers Bureau is available as a free resource for student groups and civic organizations to invite judges to engage with an audience about the role of the Judicial Branch and the North Carolina court system.

Please feel free to connect with me online and learn more about our court anniversaries and Speakers Bureau at www.Celebrate.NCcourts.org. Learn more about our Judicial Branch and court system at www.NCcourts.org.

Judge Marion Warren is director of the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts. He served as a District Dourt judge in Judicial District 13 (Bladen, Brunswick, and Columbus counties), and prior to that, he served Judicial District 13 as an assistant district attorney.