Courtroom dedicated to retiring judge in Davidson County
LEXINGTON — A long-serving and well-known judge in Davidson County is going to be around a little bit longer after his retirement, at least in memory, after a courtroom was dedicated to him on Monday.
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Mark E. Klass, who has served on the bench for North Carolina Court District 22B for the past 24 years, was honored for his service during a dedication ceremony to name Courtroom 6 in the Davidson County Courthouse after him.
He said he was deeply touched by the honor, which is the first time a courtroom in Davidson County has been dedicated to a judge.
“There are so many people I need to thank; the bailiffs over the years, the court reporters who have put up with me, the clerks who try to keep up with me. They know when I’m here it is going to be a hard week. The DA’s that have worked with me, they have given me some good cases and some others that (I did). It has been a great experience,” said Klass during the dedication ceremony.
He said he was especially thankful to his court manager, Jamie Bell, and the rest of the administrative staff who were key in keeping him informed and prepared for his duties.
Klass is a graduate of Central Davidson High School, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and Campbell University, where he earned his law degree.
He worked in private practice as a lawyer in Lexington for 13 years before being elected to become a district court judge in 1998. After redistricting of the court districts in 2007, Klass become the senior Superior Court Judge for District 22B which includes Davidson and Davie counties.
His father, Jack Klass, was a longtime district court judge in Davidson County.
Resident Superior Court Judge Lori Hamilton said during the ceremony that Klass was greatly influenced by his father, mother and grandparents for his work ethic, approachable personality and values.
“We have had the privilege of seeing those values on display in our courtrooms over the past 24 years,” said Hamilton. “Judge Mark Klass has served on our superior court bench, and we have had the further privilege of working under his leadership for the last 15 of those years. Judge Klass you have absolutely earned the lifelong title of the Honorable Mark E. Klass.”
During the dedication of the courtroom, Davidson County Commissioner Fred McClure said Klass was a good example of a hometown boy coming back to his community to live and to serve.
“It is comforting and it is an example for all the students in Davidson County to see a person raised in this county, go off to school and come back to this county and reach the amazing success he has. Thank you Judge Klass for that example,” said McClure.
Klass said he plans on doing mediation work after his retirement at the end of the year. He said he wants to continue to be involved in the community and provide service wherever he can.
He said he became a lawyer because that is what his father did, and it was something he knew. But he is less sure of why he accepted the opportunity years ago to become a judge when a position became available.
“I never dreamed I would actually like it, it turned out a lot better than I thought it would,” said Klass. “I have gotten a lot of satisfaction. Every night when I go to bed, I am satisfied with what I have done that day. Some days I didn’t look forward to it, but I really enjoyed my years serving the people of Davidson and Davie County.”
This article originally appeared on The Dispatch: Courtroom dedicated to retiring judge in Davidson County
