Valene McMasters

Incumbent Judge, North Carolina 31st Judicial District, Seat 1 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Valene McMasters is a candidate for North Carolina District Court Judge District 31 Seat 01 in Forsyth County, North Carolina — 2026 Primary Election. Running as Democratic Party.

Valene McMasters was appointed to the District Court bench by Governor Roy Cooper in December 2021. Prior to her appointment, she was the managing attorney at the Winston-Salem office of Legal Aid of North Carolina, where she worked for 19 years. In that role, she supervised a team assisting clients in family law, housing, and public benefits cases. Her legal career began as an associate at Kilpatrick Stockton LLP. McMasters earned her Bachelor's degree from Cornell University and her Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School.