MEMBERS ON THE BALLOT
Supporting Our Own: Judge James H. Faison III
District Court Judge, Sixth Judicial District
New Hanover and Pender Counties
As part of our continuing NCABL Members on the Ballot series, we recognize longtime NCABL member Judge James H. Faison III, who is seeking reelection as a District Court Judge serving New Hanover and Pender Counties.
Judge Faison has served on the District Court bench for more than 25 years. Before taking the bench, he began his legal career as a staff attorney with Legal Services of the Lower Cape Fear, where he represented indigent clients and veterans. He later served for more than seven years as an Assistant District Attorney for New Hanover and Pender Counties before being appointed to the District Court bench by Governor
James B. Hunt Jr. in 2000.
Judge Faison’s appointment was also historic. He became the first African American male to serve as a District Court Judge in the judicial district since Reconstruction. He has since been reelected without opposition for six successive terms.
His service extends beyond the courtroom. Judge Faison served as President of the North Carolina Association of District Court Judges, chaired the North Carolina DWI Task Force, served on the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission, and has spent more than two decades working with the Community Recovery Court, addressing substance misuse and its intersection with the criminal justice system.
Judge Faison is also a graduate of North Carolina Central University and North Carolina Central University School of Law. Throughout his career, he has remained involved in mentoring young people, community organizations, Legal Aid, and programs addressing access to justice and recovery.
His career reflects many of the values that are central to NCABL’s mission, including public service, access to justice, leadership, mentorship, and increasing and sustaining the presence of Black attorneys and judges throughout North Carolina’s legal system.
As Election Day approaches, our Members on the Ballot series will continue introducing NCABL members who are candidates for public office and highlighting their backgrounds, professional service, and contributions to the legal profession and their communities.
Election Day is November 3, 2026.
Disclaimer: NCABL’s Members on the Ballot series recognizes members who are candidates for public office and is provided for informational purposes. Inclusion in this series does not constitute an endorsement by NCABL.
