District Court Judge Marty McGee, of Concord, is running to become the third person from Cabarrus County to be elected to statewide office.
In a nonpartisan election Nov. 6, he will challenge Durham resident Wanda Bryant for her seat on the N.C. Court of Appeals, which she has held for 11 years.
“The primary purpose of the Court of Appeals is to review the work of the trial courts,” McGee said in an emailed statement Friday. “I have more experience as a trial judge than anyone now serving on the Court of Appeals.”
McGee has served as a district court judge in Cabarrus County for 12 years. He said he has presided over tens of thousands of cases, including criminal matters, child custody and support cases, juvenile cases, divorce and family law cases, jury trials and other civil cases. He occasionally hears cases in Rowan County if a judge is needed to substitute for a Rowan County District Court Judge.
Along with the other seven candidates for the N.C. Court of Appeals, McGee is participating in North Carolina’s public financing program.
He raised about $46,000 in qualifying funds from a total of 600 people in about 12 weeks. As a result of qualifying for public financing, he received about $164,000 – most of which comes from lawyers’ dues – and he cannot raise any more money.
“I have traveled to about 40 counties campaigning,” McGee said in his statement. “I have met thousands of people and learned much about our great state during the campaign.”
McGee graduated from Concord High School, UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest School of Law. Before becoming a judge, he practiced law in Cabarrus County in Concord and Kannapolis. He said he represented people in courts ranging from small claims court to the Supreme Court of the United States.
McGee and his wife, Debin, have been married for 21 years. They live in Concord with their daughters, Dorothy and Eleanor.