Jamal Summey, who in the March primary won the District 7 district court seat 4 judgeship, said his tenure on the bench will be fair, firm, efficient and consistent.

On the first day of the new year the longtime former assistant prosecutor and defense attorney took the oath of office administered by retired Chief District Judge Turner Stephenson as Summey’s nephew held the Bible.

“This is a significant moment in my journey as I stand before you with humility and gratitude on the occasion of my investiture as district court judge,” he said at the Northampton County Courthouse in Jackson to family, friends, and colleagues after donning his robe with help of family. 

Summey, who in the primary defeated Assata Buffaloe to win the seat that encompasses Bertie, Halifax, Hertford and Northampton counties, said “I am deeply honored and privileged to be entrusted by the citizens for this solemn responsibility.”

With flowers on the podium in honor of his parents, the Winston-Salem native who calls Roanoke Rapids home, thanked them for instilling a strong work ethic in him and his siblings. “You’re both sorely missed but never forgotten.”

After acknowledging several people who have supported him over the years, Summey said. “Thank you to everyone that is here who has supported me and guided me along this path with your acts of kindness, your words of support, your prayers and most importantly sacrificing your time.”

To his family present he thanked them for their unwavering encouragement, being his rock and “for standing by me through every step of this journey. You always answered the call, left work, did whatever was needed to be done to get the job done.”

To the attorneys and court clerks he has associated with throughout his career, Summey said, “I am grateful for the lessons learned and the challenges we’ve overcome. You know the old saying it takes a village to raise a child — you all have been my village. It took all of you to mold me into the person that I am today and for that I feel grateful.”

As he begins his time on the bench, he told the audience, “I am mindful of the immense trust that is placed on me by the community. As I promised to do in my campaign … I will be fair, compassionate and efficient. I will promise to uphold and follow the law and adhere to the principles of justice, fairness, and integrity in every decision I make.

“I will strive to serve with impartiality, humility and dedication, ensuring that the rights of dignity for all who come before the court are respected and protected.”

Quoting the late Justice Thurgood Marshall, Summey said, “When you see wrong or inequality or injustice speak out because this is your country. This is your democracy. You must make it, protect it, and pass it on.”

Said Summey: “As I embark on this new and exciting chapter, I am filled with hope and determination. Together, let us work toward the future where justice prevails, where the rules of law are upheld and where every individual is treated with dignity and respect.”

Before he delivered the benediction, Summey’s former law partner Sammy Webb, who is also a minister, told him, “It was God that gave you the persistence. It was God that gave you the help of strength.”

In opening court for the ceremony, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Cy A. Grant said, “This is a reflective moment for me because I have known Jamal for 26 or 27 years. I watched when he first came to our district as an assistant district attorney where he was a tenacious prosecutor over a five-year period. I have had a front row seat over the past 22 years witnessing him become an outstanding defense attorney in the private practice of law.”

During that time, Grant said, “I found him to be prepared, forthright, and honest at his dealings with his fellow lawyers, and with the court.”

There were many times that Grant would purposefully appoint Summey to criminal cases. “There was no case too big for Jamal. By appointing Jamal, I knew the defendant would be represented effectively, confidently, zealously, and professionally.”

Halifax County Board of Commissioners Chairman Vernon Bryant said, “Jamal Summey is an advocate for justice. I wish my good friend and our district court judge-elect Jamal Summey godspeed.”

Former Chief District Court Judge Al Kwasikpui said although Summey was originally from Winston-Salem, he put his roots down in this judicial district. “He’s gotten to know the people (in the district) and he’s given back to a number of worthy causes.”

Kwasikpui said Summey will administer justice regardless of the defendant. “We will support Judge Summey when he has to consider the facts and the law. He does what he believes is right and just.”

Summey’s former boss, retired District Attorney David Beard Jr., was struck by his future assistant district attorney on a recruiting trip to North Carolina Central University. “I remember him because he was so positive and optimistic.”

Beard would discover that Summey was “always ready to meet the challenge to go forward with it and that’s what sticks with him … He’s shown resilience, he’s shown determination, and he’s shown belief in himself.”

Attorney Chance Lynch, a Halifax County native, said he was honored to speak on behalf of someone like Summey who is so deserving and “who has been my colleague and who has been my friend and who will serve as our district court judge.”

Said Lynch: “The one thing about Jamal Summey is he is persuasive, he is persistent and he has a lot of personality.”