Campbell Law alumni appointed to N.C. Rules Advisory Commission

Campbell Law alumni Judges Paul Ridgeway ’86 and Donna Stroud ’88 have been appointed to the Rules Advisory Commission by North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley. The commission was created by the high court to recommend changes to court rules.

Chief Justice Beasley entered an order creating the Rules Advisory Commission on Sept. 25, according to a press release. The Commission, chaired by Judge Stroud, immediately began a comprehensive review of the Rules of Civil Procedure and will submit a recommended update to the General Assembly for adoption during the next legislative session.

The Commission will also review the General Rules of Practice and submit proposed updates to the Supreme Court for adoption in 2020. The Commission will continue to monitor these rules of practice and procedure in the future as North Carolina’s courts continue to adapt to new technologies and changing needs, the release stated.

Judge Ridgeway is a Resident Superior Court Judge of the 10th Judicial District in Wake County. For two decades, Judge Ridgeway was engaged in the private practice of law. His practice consisted of a wide variety of commercial litigation, commercial transactions and administrative law matters. In November 2006, Judge Ridgeway was elected to the Superior Court and he began his duties as a judge in January 2007.

Judge  Stroud began her legal career in 1988 with the law firm Kirk, Gay, Kirk, Gwynn & Howell. She then joined the firm Gay, Stroud & Jackson, L.L.P. in 1995. She worked as a lawyer with this firm until 2004. During this time, she also worked as a 10th Judicial District Court Arbitrator (1996-2004) and a Certified Superior Court Mediator (1997-2004). In 2004, she was elected to the Wake County 10th Judicial District Court, where she served as judge until she was elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2006.