Page 15 - The fayetteville Press Newspaper Apri l& May 2025
P. 15
The Fayettville Press April/May 2025 Edition Page 3b
Swearing -In Ceremony in Honor of Stephen Craig Stokes
Resident Superior Court Judge * Cumberland County Courthouse * Courtroom 4A
117 Dick Street* Fayetteville, NC 28301 * On Friday, March 28, 2025
Judge Stephen Craig Stokes hails from Saint Petersburg, Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations Commands, respec-
Florida. He served as a District Court Judge in Cumberland County tively. He was also Chief of the Army’s largest legal assistance
for the past 10 years, and presided over courts involving family law, office, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, XVIII Airborne
criminal law, domestic violence, child support, non-domestic civil, Corps. He graduated from the National Security Law Summer
DSS, traffic and DWI, and specialty courts such as Adult Drug Institute at the Uni versity of Virginia School of Law. He ob-
Treatment Court and Veterans’ Treatment Court. tained the rank of Major before electing to leave the Army to go
He earned a B.S. degree from Florida State University, and a in to private practice in 1999, where he founded the Stokes Law
Juris Doctor degree from its College of Law. He earned a dual Firm, and practiced law in criminal, civil, military, and adminis-
master’s degree in public administration and management from trative law areas, until, being elected to the bench in 2014. He
Webster University. He is licensed to practice law in NC and FL was re-elected in 2018 and in 2022, without opposition.
and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the
Northern District of FL, and the Eastern District of NC, respec- He served on the Local Bar Services Committee, and on
tively, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the board of directors for the Airborne and Special Operations
and the U.S. Supreme Court. Museum, the Cumberland County Education Foundation; the
Prior to law school, he was a deputy sheriff in FL, followed by Kiwanis Club of Fayetteville; the Cumberland County Bar As-
service as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer in the 82nd Mili- sociation , and as President for the Cumberland County Bar As-
tary Police Company, 82nd Airborne Division. He graduated from sociation and the 12th judicial District Bar, and currently serves
the U.S. Army Ranger and Advanced Airborne (“Jump Master”) on the Board of Visitors for Fayetteville State University. He is
Schools, earning the Ranger Tab and Senior Jump Wings, respec- a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and is a Life Member of
tively. He graduated from the U.S. Army Civil Affairs Advanced Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Course,) JFK Special Warfare Center and School. Judge Stokes is married to Dr. Yvette McAlister Stokes, a
Upon becoming a lawyer, he was an assistant state attorney in pediatric dentist and small business owner. He has four children
FL, followed by service in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s and two grandchildren.They attend First Baptist Church, where
(JAG ) Corps as a prosecutor, Special Assistant United States At- he has served as a Stephen Minister. He is a master-level black
torney, a defense Attorney in the 82nd Airborne Division, and as an Stephen Craig Stokes belt and was ranked # 1 in Florida, i n t he Light-heavyweight
international law attorney for the U.S. Army Special Operations, Resident Superior Court Judge Black Division.
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www.cliftonljohnson.com
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