Prepared.
Experienced.
Committed.
Ready to serve from the bench.
Join the movement · #ImWithPhelps
Early Voting Oct 15, 2026 | Election Day Nov 3, 2026 | #votephelps2026 | Beaufort · Hyde · Martin · Tyrrell · Washington
WHY I CAME HOME
I grew up in Creswell in Washington County and was the first person in my family to graduate from college.
Growing up, I was surrounded by people who believed in me long before I had accomplished anything. Teachers encouraged me. Mentors invested in me. Community members opened doors for me. They taught me that one person taking an interest in your future can change the direction of your life.
Like many young people from Eastern North Carolina, I left home to pursue my education. I attended East Carolina University and later North Carolina Central University School of Law.
After graduating from law school, I had opportunities to build a career elsewhere. Instead, I came home.
I returned to Eastern North Carolina because I believed the communities that invested in me deserved my investment in return.
For the last thirteen years, I have built my life and career right here at home. I opened my law practice in Plymouth, built a small business that employs local residents, served two terms as a Washington County Commissioner, taught family law and public policy at East Carolina University, and founded a scholarship program that has awarded more than $60,000 to students across Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties.
Everything I have accomplished traces back to people who took a chance on a kid from a small town. Their investment changed my life.
That experience taught me something I have never forgotten: where a person starts in life should not determine where they finish.
"That belief has guided my life. It is why I came home. And it is why I am running for District Court Judge."
I Know the People Who Walk Into Our Courtrooms
For more than thirteen years, I have represented individuals and families throughout Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties. I have sat beside parents fighting for their children, victims seeking protection, young people trying to find a better path, and families facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Over the years, I have worked alongside law enforcement officers, correctional staff, social workers, teachers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and others who serve our communities every day.
Those experiences taught me something important: court cases are never just about files, paperwork, or legal issues. They are about people. They are about families. They are about futures. The decisions made in District Court do not end when someone leaves the courtroom. They follow people home. They affect families, opportunities, and lives.
I believe people deserve to be heard. I believe people deserve to be treated fairly. And I believe every person who walks into a courtroom deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
That is the perspective I would bring to the bench.
13
Years in District Court
$60K+
Scholarships Awarded by D. Cole Phelps Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
1st
FIRST IN MY FAMILY TO GRADUATE COLLEGE
The Courtroom Should Never Feel Like an Assembly Line
For most of my career, I never imagined running for judge. I was focused on serving my clients, building my law practice, and giving back to the communities that helped shape me. My work has always been centered on helping people navigate some of the most important and challenging moments of their lives, and I found great purpose in that service.
Over time, however, I came to appreciate just how important District Court is in the lives of the people we serve. The decisions made there affect children, families, jobs, opportunities, and futures. They shape lives long after a hearing has ended. After more than thirteen years representing individuals and families throughout Eastern North Carolina, I believe I have the experience, perspective, and temperament to serve this district well.
Most importantly, I believe a judge should never forget that every case involves a real person and a real family. The decisions made in District Court do not end when someone leaves the courtroom. They follow people home and affect families, livelihoods, and futures. Every person who enters a courtroom deserves to be heard, treated fairly, and treated with dignity and respect.
I am running for District Court Judge because I care deeply about the people of Eastern North Carolina and the communities we call home. Serving this region has been the privilege of my professional life, and I would be honored to continue that service from the bench.
