Q&A: Allison Riggs talks accountability, accessibility in lead up to election

The Daily Tar Heel's Victoria Yang spoke with Allison Riggs, a candidate for the N.C. Supreme Court, to discuss her candidacy and aspirations for the court. Her Republican opponent is Jefferson Griffin.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

The Daily Tar Heel: What do you want voters to know about you?

Allison Riggs: I want people to know my values and my heart, and I want to put out information that allows them to connect with me on a level beyond seeing me as a disembodied head floating above a black robe. 

We, as candidates, need to make sure that they know who we are as people because we are still boxing up our personal preferences, trying to get to the right answer of what the law is. It's a fiction to say that we don't bring those to the bench, whether or not we're willing to see it —they're there.

I want voters to hold me accountable, to learn about me and decide if I represent a voice that they want to see on a court.

DTH: What does justice mean to you?

AR: At its core, I think justice means that we should interact on a level playing field as we move through life and our state and country, and recognizing that there ought to be rights for every wrong. So if you've been harmed — whether by in a criminal act or in a civil act — part of leveling the playing field is not just how we start and how we navigate, but, when it gets askew, are we willing to intervene as courts, as government, to straighten things out?

DTH: As a judge on the Supreme Court, which issues would be important to you?

AR: Issues of democracy are near and dear to my heart, because the right to vote allows us to preserve the other rights that we have. 

If you don't have clean water and air, it can be a real barrier to being able to mentally register that there's an election coming up. As I see members of Generation Z stepping up and leading in this election, shifts in generational leadership make me reflect on what we are doing to take care of this beautiful state — to make sure that the next generation gets to enjoy the benefit of a safe environment as much as we do. 

Lastly, health care is an issue, and I understand that when it comes to immediate needs — like being able to tend to your own body and get the health care that you need — there shouldn’t be unnecessary obstacles.

DTH: What makes you the better candidate?

AR: I'm a person who brings her lived experiences to the bench. ... I grew up in rural West Virginia from a very politically diverse family. ... I was a civil rights attorney for 15 years representing folks who had been not well served by our systems of justice. ... I was also a very experienced appellate attorney.

This is a chance for North Carolinians to remind leaders that they want balance. They want thoughtfulness and critical thinkers. They don’t want everyone cut from the same mold.

DTH: What are your primary goals if elected?

AR: I understand and appreciate that we, who wear the robes, have a lot of power, and we can use our platforms to help educate people about what our courts do.

I make sure that when I write, it's accessible to a broader public, rather than just legal nerds. Because if it's just legal nerds, you're really leaving out the opportunity for people to understand the laws and rules that govern them. 

I want to make sure that I'm thinking critically about how to make those systems evolve to better meet the needs of the people of the state. I want to continue a commitment to thinking critically, questioning assumptions and making sure that what we think of as “equal justice under law” isn't just the same person cut from the same mold who thinks the same way and has the same lived experience. I think you get better law and better results when you avoid groupthink and you have a diversity of perspectives and experience. 

@DTHCityState | city@dailytarheel.com