Bringing Water to the Desert, Part Six

Judge Debra Sasser, a white woman with brown hair and brown glasses, wears a purple blouse and pale purple jacket. By Judge Debra Sasser

In Part One, “Bringing Water to the Desert (on a Horse With No Name),” Judge Vince Rozier (Resident Superior Court Judge in the Tenth Judicial District) and Judge Beth Tanner (District Court Judge in the Twenty-Ninth Judicial District) began a conversation on how attorney shortages in legal deserts negatively impact the ability of the State to provide court-appointed attorneys.

In Part Two, Judge Tanner and Judge Rozier addressed concerns on recruiting and retaining attorneys on the court-appointed list, briefly touching on how simple tweaks to case management procedures can address some of the issues preventing attorneys from accepting court-appointed cases. 

In Part Three, Judge Rozier and Judge Tanner addressed the importance of reducing the amount of nonproductive, in-court hours for attorneys and explained how minor changes — such as remote calendar call, remote status conferences and the use of some out-of-court case management procedures in criminal cases — can be instrumental in achieving the goal of justice for all.

In Part Four, Judge Tanner and Judge Rozier discussed some specific benefits of using remote technology and explained how they have used technology to encourage attorneys to take on court-appointed cases.

In Part Five, Judge Rozier and Judge Tanner discussed “growing the bar” in a legal desert and how judges play a crucial role in keeping attorneys on the court-appointed list.

The discussion in the last video of the series brings to mind the quote from William Arthur Ward: “Feeling gratitude, and not expressing it, is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” In Part Six, the judges discuss the importance of expressing sincere gratitude and appreciation for the attorneys who step up and take court-appointed cases in counties/districts where there are attorney shortages.

In Conclusion

Without increased participation on the court-appointed lists in district/counties that are legal deserts, the State will continue to struggle to timely provide court-appointed counsel to every eligible party. In this video series, Judge Rozier and Judge Tanner have outlined various modifications to courtroom procedure and practice that can make participation on the court-appointed list more manageable for attorneys in rural areas.

Many thanks to Judge Tanner and Judge Rozier for this thought-provoking video series! They have brought light to an issue of critical importance.

Judge Debra S. Sasser served as a  District Court Judge in Wake County from 2004 until her retirement from the bench on January 1, 2025. An expanded legal bio is available in the blog post accompanying Part One of this series.

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