The Fourteenth Judicial District Bar has several responsibilities and functions derived from North Carolina statutes. Members elect two councilors to the NC State Bar Council, elect candidates from whom the Public Defender is appointed, and submit nominations from which judicial appointments are made when a new district court judgeship is created or a vacancy occurs. The Fourteenth provides coffee for jurors waiting in the Jury Pool Room in the Durham County Judicial Building, and works in a variety of other ways to both improve the administration of justice, the image of attorneys and the quality of life for attorneys in Durham County. It also hosts candidate forums for judicial races, a fall picnic, a charity 5K run called “Raising the Bar,” a holiday party, a spring open house, a patio luncheon overlooking the Durham Bulls Ballpark, and an annual meeting in June. All of these events are open to all members of the Fourteenth at no charge beyond mandatory dues payment. The Durham County Bar Association is the voluntary Bar for attorneys in the area, and is managed under the same umbrella in the same office as the Fourteenth. Any licensed attorney in good standing can join the DCBA, including those who are not assigned to the Fourteenth Judicial District Bar. There are a number of attorneys assigned to Judicial Districts 10 and 15B who elect to participate in Durham’s voluntary Bar. They do so in part because the DCBA hosts events during the year which provide 100% of the statute-mandated CLE hours that every licensed attorney must obtain. In addition, the DCBA provides luncheons and social events that are only for its members. Pages on our web site contain more information about these organizations as well as the additional ancillary groups in our Bar, check it out at durhambar.org.