DIRECT EXAMINATION: CHIEF DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DEBRA SASSER

Chief District Court Judge Debra Sasser

DIRECT EXAMINATION IS THE FIRST opportunity for the jury to meet a witness. An effective lawyer will use the opportunity to personalize the witness, making the witness appear both likeable and credible. At the end of the day, the direct examination is a party’s best chance to tell his or her story.

1. When you were in elementary school, what did you want to be when you grew up?

The earliest memory I have of what I wanted to be when I grew up is from junior high school. At that time, I wanted to be a veterinarian.

2. What was the most important lesson your parents taught you?

I was the first in my family to graduate from college, and my parents – especially my mom – taught me “life lessons,” which are as important to me today as they were then: Be honest, work hard and don’t live beyond means.

3. Who was your favorite teacher and why?I had two favorite teachers, both in high school: Wanda Gore (biology) and Harriet Livengood (math). They helped me develop confidence in myself, and they made me feel that it was okay to be who I am, which was/is a bit of a geek.

4. Did you love or hate law school? If I had to choose either/or, then I would say I loved it. I had worked for nine years after receiving my bachelor’s degree before starting law school. I had more free time when I was in law school than in my former career. I really liked learning something new and different but must admit that exam stress was not fun.

5. What was your most embarrassing courtroom experience?

There have been quite a few since becoming a judge, starting with my first day on the bench. I had just opened court and my cell phone went off, very loudly. My ring tone was “Lady Marmalade” by Lil’ Kim, Mya, Pink and Christina Aguilera. I felt my entire face flush red.

6. What was your best courtroom experience? My best courtroom experience is not one in which I did any of the work. Early in my judicial career, I presided in our child protection court (abuse/neglect/ dependency). When a parent worked hard so that I could return legal and physical custody of the child to the parent, well this always filled me with immense joy and a lot of job satisfaction. I admit these were tear-filled moments.

7. Why did you become a lawyer?

I am not one of those who wanted to be a lawyer at a young age. There were no lawyers in my family. I grew up in a small town, and no lawyers were members of my church, in the neighborhood, or family friends. I was a math/chemistry major for my first two years in undergraduate, but ultimately graduated with an B.S. in sociology, with many undergraduate hours in the computer science area. For nine years after graduation, I worked in the IT field designing computer systems. Then I wanted a change. I researched a variety of career options, and I decided that law would be a good fit for me. Thankfully, it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.

8. What has been the most surprising or unexpected development in your career?

I never planned on becoming a judge when I was in law school. Initially, I thought I would be a criminal defense lawyer. But my summer clerkships were with large firms, and I found that my background and educational experiences were well-suited to a large firm. I joined the law firm of Kennedy, Covington, Lobdell & Hickman following graduation from UNC School of Law, and I was working in general litigation and with their domestic group. Despite being in a large law firm, I went to court early in my career. Within just a few months, I returned from court one day and announced to my supervising partner, Richard Stephens, that I wanted to be a judge. I think this pronouncement surprised him almost as much as it surprised me.

9. What is your favorite book?

I do not think I have “a” favorite book. I just finished “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett, and I will be looking for more books from this author. I rarely read

a book more than once. The only exception to this has been the Harry Potter series. Before my son could read, I started reading the series to him, then as he learned to read, we read each new release together. I did not want the series to end.

10. What is your most marked characteristic?

I am a bit of a pessimist when it comes to expectations for myself. Otherwise, I am an eternal optimist. From a physical perspective, my most marked characteristic is my canine family tree tattoo.

11. What is your hidden talent?

I am a dog whisperer.

12. Who are your real life heroes?

For me, a hero is someone who has given selflessly of themself with no expectation of anything in return. I am surrounded by heroes who I am honored to call my friends, but I’ll only mention two here: Suzanne Lever, a member of the Tenth Judicial Bar, and another close friend (who asked not to be named) each donated a kidney to a person they did not know.

13. When and where were you happiest?

Nothing can compare to the day my son was born, but [the days] when he graduated from high school and when he graduated from college come close.