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4 <br /> 1 significantly he treats everyone in his courtroom with dignity and equity. She said he has <br /> 2 transformed the justice system in Orange County, and has never been afraid to make difficult <br /> 3 and unpopular decisions. She said he has held people accountable and issued sentences that <br /> 4 were stiff. She said he held everyone to the highest standards, and exemplified judicial integrity <br /> 5 in his court. <br /> 6 Caitlin Fenhagen expressed congratulations on Judge Fox's retirement, and <br /> 7 appreciation to his wife Julia. <br /> 8 <br /> 9 BACKGROUND: <br /> 10 Judge Carl Fox has served as the Senior Resident Superior Judge in 15-B since 2005, when he <br /> 11 was first sworn in. He has served with distinction in that role for over fifteen years. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 Judge Fox previously served as the District Attorney for Orange and Chatham counties. He was <br /> 14 appointed in 1984, elected in 1986, then re-elected four more times before his eventual <br /> 15 appointment as a Superior Court Judge. <br /> 16 <br /> 17 Judge Fox has served the residents of Orange and Chatham County honorably and tirelessly for <br /> 18 over 30 years. He made the decision to retire at the end of September 2020, and he leaves a <br /> 19 legacy of judicial integrity, courage in the face of extreme hardship and a career dedicated to <br /> 20 ensuring equity and fairness for all. Staff requests that the Board formally adopt the attached <br /> 21 resolution recognizing Judge Fox for his service and impact in Orange County. <br /> 22 <br /> 23 Chair Rich read the resolution: <br /> 24 <br /> 25 RES-2020-063 <br /> 26 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 27 RESOLUTION OF RECOGNITION FOR JUDICIAL DISTRICT 15-B SENIOR RESIDENT <br /> 28 SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE CARL R. FOX UPON HIS RETIREMENT <br /> 29 <br /> 30 WHEREAS, Judge Carl R. Fox has served as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge in <br /> 31 Orange and Chatham counties since his appointment in 2005, and following multiple elections <br /> 32 since, has served in this role for fifteen years; and <br /> 33 <br /> 34 WHEREAS, Judge Fox previously served as the District Attorney for Orange and Chatham <br /> 35 counties since being sworn in 1984. He was elected in 1986 and then re-elected in 1990, 1994, <br /> 36 1998 and 2002; and <br /> 37 <br /> 38 WHEREAS, Judge Fox was the first African-American District Attorney and first African- <br /> 39 American judge in Judicial District 15-13; and <br /> 40 <br /> 41 WHEREAS, Judge Fox has served with distinction and honor and has received state and <br /> 42 national recognition for his jurisprudence and integrity, including "Citizen of the Year" from the <br /> 43 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce in 1989, the "Courage Award" in 2016 from the <br /> 44 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day University Committee and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from <br /> 45 Governor Roy Cooper in 2020; and <br /> 46 <br /> 47 WHEREAS, Judge Fox has provided countless hours to our community through visits to <br /> 48 schools, mentoring lawyers and serving on numerous boards including the Governor's Crime <br /> 49 Commission, the SECU House Steering Committee, the Ronald McDonald House, the NC <br /> 50 Courts Commission and the Criminal Justice Partnership Program; and <br /> 51 <br />