Tedder among three
nominated for judge seat

By BOB HIGH
Staff Writer

Matthew J. “Matt” Tedder, a Whiteville attorney, gathered enough support Tuesday afternoon in the three-county District Bar voting to make the list of three lawyers recommended to the governor for appointment as the new District Court judge.

Tedder got 52 votes from the 107 attorneys gathered in the Bladen County Superior Courtroom, and edged Brunswick County lawyer Laura Thompson by two ballots for the third and final slot.

Assistant District Attorney Catherine “Cathi” Radford from Brunswick County led the balloting with 76 votes, followed by retired Southport lawyer Bill Fairley with 61 votes, then Tedder and Thompson.

“I’m looking forward to the appointment, and I can’t say how much I appreciate the solid support of the Bladen and Columbus bars, plus the scattered support I believe I got in Brunswick County,” the 37-year-old Tedder said.

The new judge, to be named by Gov. Mike Easley within 60 days, will take the slot vacated by Douglas B. Sasser who was chosen in October to be the new resident Superior Court judge in Columbus County.

Attendance Tuesday by members of the Brunswick County group of attorneys was evident, as they heavily outnumbered the Bladen-Columbus contingent and sought to sweep all three nominations.

Brunswick County currently has only two of the six District Court judge positions – Napoleon Barefoot Jr. and Marion Warren – although the county’s population in the last 10 years has matched that of Columbus and Bladen combined.

Columbus County holds three judgeships – Chief District Judge Jerry Jolly, Tom Aldridge Jr. and Sasser’s vacated position – and Nancy Phillips is Bladen’s representative in the group.