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Alumni to Take Bench in New Year

Relying on their years of education and experience as trial attorneys, three Regent University School of Law alumni will be on the other side of the bench after the new year, included among the newest judges in courts in North Carolina and Florida. Matt Osman ('01), Kristina Earwood ('03) and Scott DuPont ('04) each won judicial elections in their districts in November.

This brings the current number of School of Law alumni serving as judges at various levels of court to 20.

Osman, a former Navy JAG lawyer, will be sworn in as a judge with the Mecklenburg County District Court in North Carolina. Earwood was elected to the bench in the 30th District Court in western North Carolina where she has primarily worked as a criminal defense attorney. DuPont was elected to the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida (Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties), an area he previously served as a partner with a firm dealing in 15 different areas of law.

"Judges are among the most important and influential leaders in our nation. They interpret the Constitution, sentence criminals and determine the custody of children," said School of Law Dean Jeffrey Brauch. "It is tremendously encouraging to see God calling Regent Law graduates to serve in this crucial role. I am proud of them and thankful for them. Congratulations to Matt Osman, Kristina Earwood and Scott DuPont on their recent selection as new judges. I am confident that they will serve God and their communities with excellence and integrity."

Osman's decision to run for a seat with the district court centered on his desire to provide wise counsel to his constituents. "My opponent had been reprimanded for misconduct while in office, and I felt that the people of Mecklenburg County deserved better," he explained. "I believed that I could help restore the honor and dignity that had been lost from this particular office."

While her experience in the courtroom has been her biggest preparation for the job, Earwood also sees her Regent education as an important part of her abilities to interpret the law. "Once I began to practice, I also realized that I had an equal or better understanding than many of my colleagues of Constitutional issues," she explained. "That was a big emphasis at Regent and is something that I obviously relied on as a defense attorney."

DuPont decided to run for a seat with the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court after several people proposed the idea to him. "I always knew the Lord was going to use my law degree as an avenue to public service; I just did not expect the opportunity to arise so soon," he explained. "My previous work experience gave me the experience necessary to serve as judge because of all the different areas of law I currently practice." He added, "My time at Regent instilled in me the essential qualities to serve as a judge, like character, honesty and integrity. It basically laid the moral foundation to be a public servant.”


- By Rachel Judy

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