WS Chronicle

Judge Camille Banks-Prince (Democrat) has been serving Winston-Salem for 17 years, after first taking the bench in 2008. She currently occupies Seat 5 of the North Carolina 31st Judicial District after assuming office on Jan. 1, 2024. Judge Banks-Prince’s passion for public service was first sparked in her childhood after a television show exposed her to the ways of the courtroom and the roles of a lawyer. “I’ve always wanted to be an attorney since I was about 10 years old,” Judge Banks-Prince explained in an interview with The Chronicle, “and it’s a career that I pursued from that age.”  

Since then, Judge Banks Prince has worked hard to make her dream into reality. After attending North Carolina A&T State University for her undergraduate degree in social work, she moved to North Carolina Central University to obtain a law degree. Judge Banks-Prince began her career working in the public defender’s office for five years. “And after having done that,” said Judge Banks Prince, “I looked at our judiciary at the time. And at that time, although we have a very diverse community here in Forsyth County, we only had one African American judge serving at that time.” 

After being appointed to the bench by Gov. Mike Easley in 2008, Judge Banks-Prince is now one of four African American judges currently serving on the district court, with four of those five being women. “So now our bench adequately reflects what our community looks like,” Judge Banks-Prince said.  

For Judge Banks-Prince, her purpose has always been to serve her community and advocate for those who don’t have the means to do so themselves. “I always wanted to help,” said Judge Banks-Prince. “But helping just as an advocate, for me, was not enough once I saw the opportunity to serve, because it broadens my ability to help in my community. And so, again, a God’s calling to service. And at that time, I was relatively young.”  

At just 31 years old, she seized her opportunity to broaden her impact among others by going into the judiciary. “What I’ve come to find over the years is people always saw, when they thought of a judge, they thought of an old white man. It was never a young Black female. And we have the same capacity to serve, and we bring a different perspective that our community needed,” said Judge Banks-Prince. “So, at that time, I did have to step up, and I’m glad that I did have the courage. It was a godly courage that I had, and then it inspired others. And as you can see now, we have a very balanced judiciary here in Forsyth County.” By bringing her compassion and her natural call to serve others to the bench, Judge Banks-Prince has dedicated herself to being a voice for the voiceless under the law.  

Judge Banks-Prince’s dedication to others extends deeply into her work, as she exclusively runs the district’s mental health treatment court. She and her team are dedicated to raising awareness for mental illness and helping those affected by it. “We work to remove the stigma tied to mental illness,” said Banks-Prince. “And we work with the litigants in there to let them know, in spite of your mental illness, you are a person who can contribute to society, and what we’re concerned with is you becoming mentally well so you can reenter society and contribute.” 

But Judge Banks-Prince’s inspiration doesn’t end at five o’clock; even outside the courtroom she does her part in getting younger generations excited about the law. Since growing up without seeing diverse representation within the legal system, Judge Banks-Prince makes it her mission for local students to learn about working for the legal system. By visiting public and private schools, Judge Banks-Prince talks about the role of the judiciary and shows children that anyone can become a judge. “They are excited when they see someone walking in with a robe, a gavel in hand,” said Judge Banks-Prince.  

This Women’s History Month, we are honored to celebrate Judge Banks-Prince, her legacy of dedication to her community, and her love for the law. “I’m glad that [Women’s History Month is] being celebrated because there were times you didn’t hear about women serving in leadership roles,” said Judge Banks-Prince. “And so now it’s something that the opportunities are endless now. And I’m just grateful and humbled by the fact that I got this opportunity. And I hope it inspires other women who are interested in pursuing either leadership roles in the judiciary, in the law, medicine, education, wherever, that there are no barriers at this point.”