LUMBERTON — Angelica Chavis McIntyre, sworn in Tuesday as a District Court judge, joins a wave of new, youthful leadership in Robeson County.
McIntyre, 28, may qualify as the youngest judge in North Carolina. She and Brooke Locklear Clark, who also was sworn in Tuesday, are said to be the only female American Indians to serve on the bench in the state.
Clark was appointed in late July by Gov. Roy Cooper to fill a vacancy created on the county District Court bench when Chief District Court Judge J. Stanley Carmical assumed the role of Superior Court judge. Clark, the daughter of retired Superior Court Judge Gary Locklear, was unopposed when she won election during the Nov. 6 general election.
With two new District Court judges seated, a new district attorney, Matt Scott, and sheriff, Burnis Wilkins, Robeson County has a new, more youthful look in the courts and in law enforcement.
McIntyre and Clark, 39, share another noteworthy attribute. They are both new mothers. McIntyre gave birth on Aug. 9 during her election campaign, and Clark has a 2-year-old child.
The swearing in of McIntyre and Clark means four of the five District Court 16B judges could be female. Judith Milsap Daniels is the chief judge, and Vanessa Burton’s apparent win over Jack Moody is on hold pending a review by the North Carolina Board of Elections. Jeff Moore is the fifth District Court judge.
Superior Court Judge Stan Carmical delivered the oath of office to McIntyre during a ceremony that filled the first floor of the Carolina Civic Center in Lumberton. Carmical said he was a proud witness to a historic event, and he offered some advice to the young judge.
“I was reminded this morning at Judge Brooke Clark’s swearing-in that never has the state of North Carolina had one American Indian female judge, and today we have two,” said Carmical, who served as a District Court Judge for almost 30 years before the North Carolina General Assembly appointed him to the Superior Court in July. “I don’t believe I am the only Robesonian who is proud that we now have the first two American Indian District Court judges.”
“Angelica has not been elected as a judge for American Indians, she has been elected a judge for all people in this county,” he added to applause from the people gathered for the ceremony.
Carmical offered another bit of advice to the new District Court judges. Listen carefully and “refuse to be rushed to justice,” he said.
“It’s OK to be new and not know all the answers, but see the answers before making a decision,” he said.
David Branch, a senior partner at the Musselwhite, Musselwhite, Branch and Grantham law firm in Lumberton, where Judge McIntyre’s husband, Stephen, works, remembered her campaign slogan: “Equal justice for a brighter future for Robeson County.”
“We have all watched Angelica in the courtroom, and you are truly a professional,” Branch said. “Angelica is honest, kind, hardworking, smart in common sense and in the law, and humble.
“We know you will provide the county with equal, fair and impartial justice.”
Judge McIntyre’s campaign for the judicial position lasted 15 1/2 months and was interrupted twice. The General Assembly canceled May judicial primaries, so the campaign that was in full speed continued for five additional months.
The bigger surprise for McIntyre was the birth of Hamilton Patrick McIntyre two months before the election. In her remarks on Tuesday, McIntyre called Hamilton the “unexpected addition in the middle of the campaign.”
McIntyre, running as a Democrat, easily defeated District Court Judge Dale Deese, who ran unaffiliated.
During her campaign, McIntyre said she smiled through two county fairs, and many parades, high school football games and chicken bogs. About the smile, she offered that “justice can be delivered with a smile.”
McIntyre married into a family that knows how to win elections. Her father-in-law is nine-term U.S. congressman Mike McIntyre. In his opening remarks on Tuesday, he said this is “a day for rejoicing.”
In her remarks after the ceremony, Judge McIntyre said, “Thank you all for believing in me.”
“I would like to thank family and friends who committed time, effort and money to my campaign,” she said.
Her first day as judge was Wednesday.
