A Greensboro attorney has been selected as mediator in the federal civil lawsuit filed on behalf of Vivian Pompliano, the owner of the former Pomp Boys Motors.

Pomp Boys was a classic car and auto repair shop whose owner claims that harassment by three officers of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department led to the demise of her business.

The notice filed in the federal court record notes that the parties selected Robert N. “Bob” Hunter Jr.

An April 2019 press release on the Higgins Benjamin PLLC website says that Hunter rejoined the firm and that his practice would focus on alternative dispute resolution, federal and state appeals, and election law. 

At the time of the release, Hunter had been appointed to the American Arbitration Association Commercial Disputes panel and has been a certified mediator in North Carolina since 1994.

Hunter served over 10 years on the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of North Carolina, during which time he authored over 1,000 decisions. 

Before joining the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court, Hunter completed his J.D. at the University of North Carolina School of Law and was licensed in 1973. 

In 2014, he received his LL.M. at Duke University School of Law. 

While presiding on the bench, Hunter served as adjunct professor at three law schools: N.C. Central University School of Law, Elon University School of Law and Wake Forest University School of Law.

The release at the time said, “We feel very fortunate that Judge Hunter is joining Higgins Benjamin. He has garnered respect for his legal prowess and hard work from a wide spectrum of lawyers and interests.”

The city of Roanoke Rapids; former officer Jamie Lee Hardy, and officers Antonio Seward, and Jayme Shelburne in their individual and official capacities; Rose Beacham in her individual capacity; and L&R Motor Company remain defendants in the lawsuit after a voluntary dismissal was filed on behalf of defendants Vickie Evans and Dennis Harvey in January.

The federal court system describes mediators as attorneys who agree to serve under Local Civil Rule 101 and have been certified as mediators by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. 

They must have at least eight years of civil trial practice or membership on the faculty of an accredited law school in order to be considered for appointment to the court's list of certified mediators.