House District 27 Representative Rodney D. Piercen will host the latest installment of his civic engagement series, Bringing the Capital to the Constituents, which will feature three members of North Carolina’s judiciary and a discussion about the state’s appellate court system.

The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, in Room 401 at Halifax Community College in Weldon. 

It will be Pierce’s final Bringing the Capital to the Constituents event before the November 3 general election.

Joining Pierce will be NC Court of Appeals Judge John Arrowood, who serves in Seat 1; Judge Toby Hampson, who serves in Seat 2; and Wake County District Court Judge Christine Walczyk, the Democratic nominee for Court of Appeals Seat 3, which is an open seat after the current holder, Judge Allegra Collins, announced in 2025 she was not seeking re-election.

“The event will give residents an opportunity to learn directly from experienced judges about the role of North Carolina’s courts, how appeals work and the responsibilities of appellate judges,” Pierce said.

The NC Court of Appeals is the state’s intermediate appellate court, with 15 judges who generally hear cases in three-judge panels. The court reviews proceedings from the state’s trial courts to determine whether the law was properly applied or whether a legal or procedural error occurred. 

The Court of Appeals hears the majority of appeals from superior and district Courts in civil and criminal cases, as well as certain appeals from state administrative agencies. Unlike trial courts, appellate courts generally do not retry cases or decide questions of fact. Court of Appeals judges are elected to eight-year terms, and decisions may be reviewed by the North Carolina Supreme Court in cases the Supreme Court accepts.

Arrowood has served on the court since 2017 and previously served on the court from 2007 to 2008. His legal career has also included service as a special superior court judge, staff attorney for the Court of Appeals and partner at James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A. He is also an accredited arbitrator and certified mediator.

Hampson was elected to the court in 2018. Prior to joining the court, he practiced law at Wyrick, Robbins, Yates & Ponton in Raleigh, where he became a partner and led the firm's appellate practice group. His legal practice focused extensively on appellate matters.

Walczyk has served as a Wake County District Court judge since 2007. During her judicial career, she has served as lead judge of Wake County Family Court and currently serves as lead judge of the county's general civil court. Prior to taking the bench, she practiced law in Raleigh, representing small businesses and indigent defendants and juveniles in criminal and delinquency matters.

Pierce said the event is intended to give residents a better understanding of a part of state government that can often seem distant from the communities it serves. He added that it builds off the series event in December 2025 that featured state Supreme Court Justices Anita Earls and Allison Riggs in Northampton County.

“Our courts have an enormous impact on the lives of North Carolinians, but most people understandably don't have the opportunity to sit down with judges and learn how the system actually works,” Pierce said. “Bringing the Capital to the Constituents is about bringing the state government closer to the people. I’m grateful to have three experienced members of our judiciary join us in District 27 to answer questions and help our constituents better understand the appellate process.”