Christine Walczyk

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE:

What experience, knowledge and personal qualities prepare you for this office? Cite specific evidence from your public, professional or community record.

I earned my Juris Doctor from the UNC School of Law. My specialized judicial training includes advanced courses in equitable distribution, child custody, child development, criminal sentencing, and domestic violence.

I have worked as a trial judge for 19 years. During that time, I was nominated for leadership positions by four different chief judges from both political parties. I served as lead judge in family court and currently serve as lead judge in general civil court. Before coming to the bench, I co-owned a law firm that represented employees, small family-run businesses, and adults and juveniles charged with crimes.

Throughout my 30-year career, I have remained deeply committed to public service. I believe in mentoring and supporting women in the legal profession, ensuring equal access to justice for all, and fighting for judicial independence. I am focused on building trust and confidence in the judiciary and safeguarding our Constitutional freedoms.

Where do you believe you would bring a different approach from the other candidates?

I believe we need a balanced, stronger court that can prevent abuses of power, and ensure that the other two political branches remain within constitutional bounds. We need a more independent court, free from the influence of politicians, and we need experienced judges with the moral courage to safeguard our constitutional freedoms.

I respect precedent and believe in judicial restraint. Courts should exercise caution in departing from prior decisions of the same or a higher court, as consistency and stability are essential to a safe and peaceful society.

Diverse perspectives matter. We deserve a Court that reflects the population of this great state. As the only woman running for the Court in 2026, I hope to ensure that women continue to have a voice on the court.

What are the two most important challenges this office will face during the next term, and what specific actions within the office's actual authority would you take to address them?

The politicization of the courts and the perception that judges rule along partisan lines have weakened public confidence in our courts. Weak courts cannot stop abuses of power or protect our constitutional freedoms. I will work to build a stronger, balanced, independent judiciary that the public can trust. We need judges who are honest, transparent, and faithful to their oath. I will apply the law fairly and consistently, without a partisan agenda.

Navigating the court system is significantly easier for those who can afford qualified counsel, yet most North Carolinians cannot afford an attorney. Throughout my career, I have worked to ensure equal access to justice for all by developing virtual courtrooms, creating informational materials, training pro bono attorneys, and helping to establish the Wake County Legal Support Center. I will continue my efforts to ensure that access to justice is not determined solely by financial resources or legal expertise.

What measurable standards or benchmarks should voters use to judge your performance, and how will you keep the public informed about your decisions and progress?

Judges must be accountable. I believe our ethical standards should be stricter and more transparent. My integrity and the public’s trust in the judiciary will always remain paramount. I am careful to follow the spirit and the letter of our code of conduct, and I have never been disciplined by the Judicial Standards Commission.

Service on the appellate court demands discipline, a rigorous work ethic, and a deep commitment to public service. Judges must be exceptional researchers and writers, capable of producing well-reasoned opinions that provide meaningful guidance to the public. They must uphold the highest ethical standards and demonstrate the temperament necessary to ensure all parties feel respected and treated fairly. Judges should generously serve their communities and work tirelessly to strengthen the legal system as a whole. I plan to continue listening to and engaging those in my community, and working to increase the public’s trust in the judiciary.

What principles guide your interpretation of constitutional and statutory language, precedent and the proper role of an appellate judge?

Judges play an important but limited role in our government. We do not develop legislation, make budgeting decisions, or pursue political agendas. Our primary duty is to uphold the rule of law, protect due process and the individual liberties of all North Carolinians, and maintain public confidence in the judiciary.

The most influential documents guiding my interpretation of statutes and laws are our constitutions. I took an oath to support and uphold both the constitutions and laws of the United States and of North Carolina, safeguarding the individual liberties they enumerate. The North Carolina Constitution provides the framework for lawmaking, elections, and local governance, and serves as the foundation for state courts to interpret and enforce the law in a manner that reflects the values and priorities of our state. In many respects, it provides more explicit and sometimes more expansive protections than the U.S. Constitution, particularly in areas of privacy, education, equal protection, and civil liberties.

When the other two political branches pass laws or take actions that infringe on constitutional or statutory rights, or when they fail to meet their constitutional burdens, judges can review these laws and actions to ensure constitutional compliance. We must build a strong, independent, and balanced court that has the ability to keep the other two political branches in check. This starts with electing skilled and experienced judges with the moral courage to safeguard the individual liberties our Constitution guarantees.

I am guided by the doctrines of stare decisis and judicial restraint. Courts should exercise caution in departing from prior decisions of the same or a higher court, as consistency and stability are essential to the public’s confidence in the legal system.

What should voters use to evaluate an appellate judge's fairness, independence, timeliness, and clarity without asking the judge to predict rulings in future cases?

In a state where we elect our judges, the public must be informed about the values, life experiences, and biases of judges on the ballot. One way to do this is to review the written opinions of the judge and see how they approach cases. Another way is to look at the judge’s endorsements, their disciplinary record, if one exists, and how they connect with their community. I have never been disciplined, and I have spent my career trying to improve the legal system by supporting women in the profession, working to ensure equal access to justice for all North Carolinians, and fighting for judicial independence. I am endorsed by a wide cross-section of organizations representing teachers, police, unions, social workers, environmentalists, grassroots organizations, and many other appellate judges who have served in this role.

Democrat Christine Walczyk

My name is Judge Christine Walczyk, and I am running for the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2026.

I have been serving as a district court trial judge in Wake County for 19 years, and I am running for the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2026.

As the most experienced district court judge in Wake County, I have worked hard to safeguard the fundamental rights and liberties of those who appeared in my courtroom with well-reasoned, swift, and nonpartisan decisions.

I am running for the Court of Appeals because I am increasingly concerned about the public's loss of confidence in the court system, a cornerstone of our democracy. My campaign will offer voters an experienced, temperate, and principled candidate dedicated to the rule of law. As a trial judge, I was nominated by four chief district court judges (Democrat and Republican) to serve in leadership positions, including Lead Judge in Family Court for many years, and currently as Lead Judge in the general civil court.

Prior to my service as a judge, I practiced law in Raleigh with Grafstein & Walczyk, P.L.L.C., representing small businesses with their transactional and litigation needs. I also represented indigent defendants in criminal cases and juveniles in delinquency matters.

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​Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, at the old Rex Hospital, I moved to Florida as a child and returned to North Carolina in 1992. I graduated magna cum laude from the Boston College Carroll School of Management and completed my Juris Doctor at the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill.

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I am actively involved in the community and the profession as a member of the National Association of Women Judges' Judicial Independence Committee, the North Carolina Bar Association's Women in the Profession Committee, and as Chair of the Judicial Division of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys. I particularly enjoy mentoring students and teaching. I am a former instructor at Meredith College's Paralegal Program and Wake Technical Community College.