Please be patient with me as I must make this comment again. Keep in mind, this is only the second case I've followed. I also followed another one which shall remain unnamed.
I was immediately struck by the difference in the judges. This judge appears to weigh things carefully, is more involved in testimony, has a kinder demeaner to everyone involved in the case, and he is efficient and wastes no time. He obviously has a great deal of concern for the time, travel, effort, possibly lost work days, lost wages, childcare, etc witnesses. And I believe he shows respect to the jury, which gains the judge his trust.
In all, this Judge is an oustanding, well-bred individual. He's not insecure and is not interested in politics or television time. All Wake County judges should attend a few seminars conducting by him. He's the cream of the crop.
Oh, and this ADA is awesome too. I thought the two ADA's in the last case I followed were tweedle dee and dweedle dum. And they both seemed to grandstand and have future political aspirations.