ABA Judicial Division recognizes former NC Chief Justice Mark Martin, NAIJ with civility, justice awards

June 23, 2026

ABA Judicial Division recognizes former NC Chief Justice Mark Martin, NAIJ with civility, justice awards

CHICAGO, June 23, 2026 - The American Bar Association Judicial Division will present its William D. Missouri Civility Award to Mark Martin, former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, and its Justice and Rule of Law Award to the National Association of Immigration Judges on Thursday, July 30, during the 2026 ABA Annual Conference.

The awards will be presented at 6 p.m. during the Judicial Division Welcome Reception held at the Chicago Bar Association.

Martin will receive the Missouri Civility Award, which is named in honor of Judge William D. Missouri who worked throughout his career to promote civility and professionalism through the bar, the bench and the community, across all racial, ethnic and gender groups.

"Chief Justice Martin placed a premium on integrity inside and outside the courtroom, and he instilled this in his law clerks," said attorney Chris G. Browning, Jr. of Troutman Pepper Locke, one of Martin's nominators. "Chief Justice Martin has a reputation for being a mentor and role model for his law clerks. That desire to shape the next generation of attorneys undoubtedly was a factor in his decision to leave the bench to become a law school dean. He has the demeanor of a statesman, greets everyone with a warm smile and has a kind word for everyone."

In 2015, Martin convened the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice, which brought together attorneys and judges from throughout North Carolina to evaluate the administration of justice and identify areas for improvement.

"The work of this commission resulted in the implementation of concrete steps to improve professionalism and the administration of justice," Browning said.

After leaving the bench, Martin became dean of the Regent University School of Law and was appointed founding dean of the High Point University School of Law in 2022, helping the law school receive provisional accreditation from the law-school accreditation council housed within the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar.

Martin has served on several ABA-related initiatives, including the advisory commission to the World Justice Project, the executive committee of the Appellate Judges Conference, the Coalition for Justice, the Commission on State Court Funding, the John Marshall Award Review Committee and The Judges Journal Editorial Board. He was elected chair of the ABA Judicial Division in 2013. He served as an informal advisor to President Donald Trump in 2021.

Martin received his J.D. from the University of North Carolina Law School and an LLM in judicial process from the University of Virginia. He earned his B.S. degree from Western Carolina University.

NAIJ, a voluntary organization that promotes independence and enhancing the professionalism, dignity and efficiency of the Immigration Court, will receive the Justice and Rule of Law Award, which recognizes those dedicated to the improvement of the administration of justice and preserving the rule of law.

"NAIJ has been the constant bulwark defending due process and the rule of law in these administrative tribunals," said retired Judge Dana Leigh Marks, one of NAIJ's nominators for the award.

"Our nation's immigration courts are a widely misunderstood and often ignored quasi-judicial system," Marks said. "This is particularly disturbing in light of the life and death consequences of the decisions they render, whether it relates to eligibility for asylum or the ability of a lawful permanent resident to avoid exile. As an administrative court, these tribunals are vulnerable to intense political pressures which the third branch judicial system holds at bay for 'true' court systems," Marks said.

Executive Director Ben Johnson and President Jeff Johnson of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, concurred, saying, "NAIJ has long served as a critical voice for the immigration bench and a steadfast advocate for judicial independence within the immigration court system. In particular, AILA recognizes NAIJ's leadership in advancing legislation to create an independent court system under Article I of the Constitution. For years, NAIJ has championed this structural reform and has shepherded it through Congress from its conception to introduction as the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act, initially in 2022 and again this year," they said.

For more information, contact Shanda Ivory at [email protected].