 |
| ||||||
Text Size 
• Email • Printer Friendly
|
Wednesday, October 01, 2008 10:41 AM Judge candidate Ervin runs on record, not name By Matt Shaw | Times Staff Writer Sam Ervin IV is a man with a well-known name seeking a little-understood office. Ervin, the grandson of the late U.S. Sen. Sam Ervin Jr., visited Wilson earlier this week as he campaigns for a seat on the N.C. Court of Appeals. Ervin, 52, of Morganton, has served on the N.C. Utilities Commission since his appointment by former Gov. Jim Hunt in 1999. That position has put him in the midst of critical, and some controversial, decisions affecting the state's power and utility companies. But he is not as well known as "Senator Sam," who served in the U.S. Senate from 1954-1974 and is best remembered as chairman of the Senate's Watergate Committee. Ervin finds his name is recognized generally by people 45 years or older and not always in the best way, he said. "There are folks who felt he was hard on President Nixon," Ervin said with a smile. Ervin is seeking the Court of Appeals' seat on his own credentials. He grew up in Burke County, graduated magna cum laude from Davidson College and then earned his law degree from Harvard University. He then had a law practice in Morganton from 1981-1999, where he handled a variety of criminal and civil cases, including people accused of capital crimes. As a lawyer, Erwin presented more than 20 cases to the N.C. Court of Appeals and 18 to the N.C. Supreme Court, including nine appeals in capital cases. On the Utilities Commission, Ervin sits as part of three-person boards, reviewing utility companies' plans or rate adjustment requests. The boards hear direct testimony, review written evidence and legal briefs, and issue written opinions. "We do some pretty complicated stuff," he said. For example, he oversaw a decision on whether Duke Power would be allowed to build two coal plants near Shelby. But he said he has been interested in serving on the Court of Appeals, which reviews legal decisions in district or superior courts and decides whether the courts acted properly. "It's truly important work because the legal system only works well if the law is applied equally everywhere," he said. Ervin was the leading vote-getter in the May primary, receiving around 37 percent of the vote. He won 87 of 100 counties. His opponent in the non-partisan race is Kristen Ruth, a Wake County district court judge. She received around 26 percent of the vote in May. Ervin has been endorsed by the N.C. Association of Women Attorneys, the N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers and the N.C. Association of Defense Attorneys. The first two of those groups also endorsed Ruth. For more information, go to www.ervinforcourtofappeals.com. mshaw@wilsontimes.com | 265-7878 |
| Add Comment: | |  | | (All comments must be approved) |
| View Comments: | | | | (0 comments) |
Most Popular
 |
 |
 |
