Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On December 8, 2023, Judge Jason Williams filed for election to the seat he presently occupies on the District Court bench. Williams was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper in November to finish the term of retiring Judge Christopher “Chris” McLendon.

Williams is one of four District Court Judges who serve in the Second Judicial District. The District covers Beaufort, Martin, Washington, Tyrrell and Hyde Counties. Judges rotate among the different courts and different counties. Williams is running for a full four-year term as District Court Judge.

Whenever a judge is unable to finish his or her term, the district bar association holds a vote and sends at least three names to the Governor, who is free to appoint any qualified person, regardless of whether that person is on the list of names. In a vote held at the end of August, Williams finished first and his name was submitted to the Governor’s office along with two others.

Prior to his appointment, Williams, 51, was a sole practitioner in the firm of M. Jason Williams, P.A. in Washington for 20 years. While there, he handled a variety of family law, criminal and juvenile cases, and served as the attorney for three different social services agencies in the area. Williams began his career at Legal Aid and also worked for the Public Defenders Office.

Williams graduated with honors from East Carolina University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida and was admitted to the North Carolina State Bar in 1997.

Williams said he is proud to succeed Judge McLendon. “For me personally, Judge McLendon has been a friend and a mentor ever since he became a judge,” Williams said. “His best quality is that he has always treated people fairly and kindly. Everyone is equal in his courtroom. He has also gone out of his way to help all of the attorneys who appear in his court. I intend to carry out his legacy in that respect.”

Candidates have until noon on Friday, December 15, 2023 to file at the State Board of Elections in Raleigh. The primary for the election will be held on March 5, 2024 and the General Election will be held on November 5, 2024.