ROCKINGHAM — The newest District Court judge for the 16A Judicial District was installed during a ceremony in the Richmond County Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon.
More than 100 judicial and law enforcement officials, elected dignitaries, family, friends, and well-wishers watched as Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Tanya Wallace administered the oath of office to her daughter, Chavonne Wallace.
“To my daughter: no advice, I will give it only if you ask for it,” said Tanya Wallace before the ceremony to her emotional daughter. “From your dad and me, we couldn’t be more proud of what you’ve done, but we are more proud than that of what you are and who you are. We know you have the work ethic that any judge should have and the moral conviction to do what’s right and the empathy to do it with understanding and compassion.”
It was speculated by many present that this may have been the first time in North Carolina history that a sitting female judge administered the oath of office to her own daughter.
Brewer told Superior Court Judge Wallace about the side of her daughter she doesn’t get to see.
“You hear about (Wallace’s work in the courtroom) from other people but you haven’t been able to see it,” Brewer said, jokingly lamenting rules that don’t allow an assistant district attorney to appear before a judge they are related to. “But I can tell you that she has operated as an assistant district attorney with a sense of fairness, a sense of compassion, has been well knowledgeable of the law and has stood her ground when she thinks she’s right on the law …” to which Wallace’s mother interjected, “I believe that!”
Wallace put on her robes for the first time before a standing ovation and took her seat on the bench while fighting back tears. She thanked law enforcement, the other judges and assistant district attorneys she’s worked alongside, the probation staff, the county clerks, and her teachers who she said “made my life better.”
The younger Judge Wallace won election to a four-year term in November to replace retiring District Court Judge Scott Brewer, who formally introduced her to the court during the ceremony. She most recently served as an assistant under elected District Attorney Reese Saunders of Rockingham.
Chavonne Wallace reminisced on the points in her childhood where her mother and father that were formative in her life, such as her dad telling her that “every single person has value and every single person has good in them, it just takes a while sometimes to find it,” and her mother answering calls from work on holidays because it was her duty as judge.
“(My mother) is one of the most impressive human beings I think I’ve ever met,” Wallace said. “I grew up incredibly lucky that I had two parents who loved me, who wanted to support me and for that I will always, always, always be grateful to both of them. I love them more than I can say.”
The newly installed Judge Wallace will be holding District Court in the 16A Judicial District consisting of Anson, Richmond and Scotland counties. Her first session of court was scheduled in Scotland County on Thursday.
