Robin Wicks Robinson is the daughter of the late Wallace Wayne Wicks and the late Rozelle Royall Wicks, both recently deceased.
Robin’s mother was a high school French and music teacher, school administrator, church organist, choir director and community leader who was a great inspiration to Robin’s strong commitment to service to God through service to others in the community.
Robin’s father was a B-17 pilot in World War II and career forester with Champion International (now International Paper), who was also a church and community leader who inspired Robin’s commitment to lifelong learning and service.
Robin and her older brother, Bill, and younger sister, Laura, grew up in the little town of Maysville (in the neighboring 4th judicial district). Robin attended high school in Jacksonville and graduated a year early. She received her BA with honors in Politics from Converse College in Spartanburg, SC, then obtained her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill. Robin has practiced law in Wilmington since 1986.
In 1992, she married Wilmington native James ”Chip” Robinson, Jr., and they have two children, son, James, 13, and daughter Wallace, 11, a dog, a cat, and Wallace’s puppy, Rosie (named after Robin’s mother).
Robin was appointed in 2011 to serve as District Court Judge for New Hanover and Pender Counties, filling the term of deceased Judge John J. Carroll III. Throughout Robin’s 25 years as a lawyer, she practiced in all State courts, and has substantial experience in all matters which come before the District Court: criminal (misdemeanor and traffic infractions), civil (contract and tort cases involving claims of less than $15,000), juvenile (abuse, neglect, dependency, termination of parental rights, and delinquency), and family law (including divorce, custody, child support, spousal support, equitable distribution, and domestic violence).
In addition to her length and breadth of experience in all matters in District Court, she served 18 years as a certified arbitrator of civil cases in District Court. She has depth of experience and leadership in the Family Court, as a Board Certified Family Law Specialist, certified mediator of the financial issues of Family Court, and member of the Family Law Council of the North Carolina Bar Association. Robin was named to North Carolina Super Lawyers (Top 5% of attorneys in the state from 2007 – 2009) as well as North Carolina’s Top 50 Attorneys and Top 65 Family Lawyers.
She has been a Bar leader, serving as President (Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice President) of the 5th District Bar, and a member of the Professionalism Committee. Robin has served on the State Bar Ethics Committee, and has always demonstrated the integrity, professionalism, judgement, knowledge, and skill to promote the public’s confidence in the profession and judicial system.
Robin is widely respected by her colleagues locally and statewide, and has twice been a nominee of the Fifth District Bar for appointment to fill judicial vacancies. Robin is a committed Christian who has likewise served as a leader in the First Presbyterian Church, as a Ruling Elder, adult Sunday School teacher, and choir member. Robin has chaired and served on numerous community boards, and has volunteered and given generously of her time, talent and treasure to many charities and her children’s schools.
Robin sees service on the bench as an extension of her lifelong commitment to public service, and a way to share her skills, knowledge, experience, wisdom, judgement, integrity, diligence and temperament in the judicial system which allows a positive impact on the public, particularly in dealing with the increasingly complex and challenging issues facing families in crisis and conflict.
