Bringing community focus to the courtroom.
Our community deserves a judge who understands the people they serve and treats everyone with fairness and respect. Join us in bringing a collaborative, community-focused approach to our courts.
What I Stand For
Knowing the Community
I stand with people on the worst days of their lives, seeing the struggles they face in and out of the courtroom. I see firsthand how judicial decisions affect not just individual cases, but their families, public safety, and the broader community.
Fairness & Accountability
Judges should listen carefully, apply the law, and treat everyone with dignity and respect. My experience has taught me that fairness and accountability go hand in hand, and that thoughtful, deliberate decisions strengthen confidence in the judicial system.
Justice for our Community
I am running to bring balance, real-world experience, and a deep commitment to our community to the bench. As a judge, I will work everyday to ensure our court is a place where people feel heard, the law is followed, and justice is done for our entire community.
About Katherine
A neighbor who understands our challenges
Katherine Corpening is an Assistant Public Defender in New Hanover County with over 10 years of experience representing indigent clients in matters from traffic offenses to serious felonies, with a focus on clients with substance use and mental health disorders. In partnership with Community Justice Services, she helped establish Community Empowerment Court, a resource court for justice-involved individuals with mental health needs that offers a probation path centered on treatment and support rather than incarceration.
A Wilmington native, Katherine earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Wake Forest University and her Juris Doctor from Campbell University School of Law. After completing her education, she returned home to Wilmington, where she lives with her husband and young son and remains deeply connected to the community she calls home.
Get Involved
Ready to make a difference?
Our community deserves a judge who understands the people they serve and treats everyone with fairness and respect. Join us in bringing a collaborative, community-focused approach to our courts.