Suzanne Reynolds Declares Candidacy for NC Supreme Court

Winston-Salem, NC -- Wake Forest University law professor Suzanne Reynolds announced today that she will run for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. In announcing her candidacy, Reynolds stated "After 26 years as a law professor, I continue to be engaged and excited about teaching. At the same time, I know I can be of greater service to the State on the North Carolina Supreme Court."

Reynolds is the author of Lee's North Carolina Family Law, considered the leading authority on the subject. She teaches Family Law, Professional Responsibility, and Contracts, and has taught Business Organizations, Real Property Security, and Legal Research and Writing.

A Lexington native, Reynolds received her B.A. from Meredith College, an M.A. in English and journalism from UNC-CH, and her J.D. from Wake Forest Law School. She was a principal drafter of statutes that modernized the law of both alimony and adoption, and she co-founded a ground-breaking domestic violence program that was recognized by the American Bar Association for providing legal assistance to the poor. She has earned the NC Association of Women Attorneys' Gwyneth B. Davis award for Public Service and a Distinguished Woman of the Year award from then-Governor James Hunt.

On her qualifications, former NC Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye stated: "Suzanne Reynolds is the North Carolina expert on Family Law. . . . She is well qualified as a candidate for judicial office." Former Court of Appeals Judge Loretta Biggs concurred: "As a former appellate and trial court judge, and now as a family law practitioner, I have relied on Suzanne Reynolds' legal knowledge and expertise repeatedly over the years. North Carolina would be very fortunate to have a scholar like Suzanne Reynolds join our Supreme Court." Larry Sitton, Reynolds' campaign Treasurer and a former President of the NC Bar Association, added: "She has the intellect, integrity, and temperament to make her an outstanding judge." Reynolds will run for the seat held by Justice Robert Edmunds.

Before beginning her teaching career, Reynolds practiced law with the Greensboro firm Smith Moore Smith Schell & Hunter. She lives in Winston-Salem with her husband, lawyer Robert "Hoppy" Elliot, and their dog, Lilah. They have three children, Michael, Caroline, and Lillie, all of whom attend the University of North Carolina.