Kristin Ruth

Biography

Occupation

Member of the Apex United Methodist Church; Board of Directors, Carolina Dispute Settlement Services; Board of Directors, Carolina Correctional Services; Member, National Council for Juvenile and Family Court Judges; Member, Federal Child Support Task Force (Commissioner’s Judge of the Year Award from the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement); American Business Women’s Association (American Business Woman of the Year, 2003); Chief Justice’s Commission of Professionalism, 2003-2006; frequent speaker on family law and child support enforcement issues.

Contact Info

Email: campaign@judgeruth.com

Education

Military

Issues

How will you measure success in your first year in office?

My approach in the courtroom has been to focus on judging effectively as well as efficiently.  The purpose of our courts is not to simply move cases, but to truly adjudicate cases in a way that promotes clarity in the law.  As a district court judge for 10 years, I know how an opinion from the appellate courts can affect the lives of the individuals and families when it comes to decisions being rendered in our trial courts.  We need judges who know how those decisions will impact the way cases are handled at the trial court level.  Each case at the trial court level is important in its own right; each decision at the appellate level can impact thousands of cases in the trial courts, and must be decided with a practical understanding of the trial process in mind.   

At the end of the year, I would hope that those who follow the work of the Court of Appeals will say that I have given thoughtful consideration to each case, and made decisions that were fair and well-reasoned.

Tell us about something you did for someone else.

I have spent a considerable amount of my time in recent years handling child support enforcement matters.  This is a difficult area because of the cycle that often leads parents to get behind in their child support, face jail time because of their failure to pay, and end up further in arrears because they of course cannot work if they are in jail.  When I undertook work in child support court, I decided to look for an alternative approach – one that would help parents meet their obligations and provide a stable upbringing for their children.  With support from public and private resources, we built a problem-solving program that helps parents find work, make their payments and stay active in their children’s lives.  It is a great thrill to have parents “graduate” from the program with the skills to not only support, but actively parent their children. 

Because of my commitment to young people, I regularly mentor students, from the high school through the law school levels.

What is the biggest challenge facing North Carolina? Your county? Your district?

Currently the Court of Appeals is seeing a sharp increase in family and juvenile cases, particularly those involving termination of parental rights, due to a change in the manner in which these appeals are treated.  Issues involving families and children are among the most critical issues we faces in our courts, and require thoughtful and efficient consideration.  One panel of the Court of Appeals binds others, and few cases make it to our Supreme Court, so the decisions of our Court of Appeals are often final and binding.

With my experience handling these complex, and sometimes technical, cases, I believe I can be an asset in addressing this issue at the Court of Appeals. 

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