Do judges wear clothing under their robes?
Andrews native Catherine El-Khouri, who is now retired, spent many years working in the justice system. She looks forward to enjoying a more relaxed environment that involves her friends and favorite hobbies.
Andrews Catherine El-Khouri has strong ties to Cherokee County. She was born in the Andrews Valley, where she graduated from high school.
“Cat,” as she is affectionately referred to, worked at her father’s Khouri’s Department Store, along with her siblings, as youngsters. She was once allowed to work a summer elsewhere and chose a brief stint at the Andrews Town Pool.
 |
After graduating from Andrews High School in 1979, she moved on to Appalachian State in Boone. She lived there until 1983, when she earned a degree with a major in political science and minor in economics, before attending Campbell Law School until 1986.
Her first job out of law school was the same one she retired from earlier this year in February, after 37 years as an assistant public defender in Mecklenburg County. El-Khouri loved her career, in which she represented indigent people who were charged with a crime but unable to afford an attorney to represent them.
“We do not choose our clients, they are appointed by a judge, and we take whatever cases are given to us. We provide the best defense we can based on what we have in front of us,” El-Khouri said.
The job was difficult, as she dealt with a lot of mental health and substance abuse issues as well as homelessness.
“You’re not just representing them as far as their criminal matter or their legal matter, you’re trying to assist them in all the other issues that are causing them to be put in the situation,” El-Khouri said.
For folks who wonder why anyone would want to represent someone who they perceive to have broken the law and, oftentimes, repeatedly, El-Khouri said, “Somebody’s got to. Under our system of justice, we do have a Constitution, and constitutional rights have to be upheld. Who else is going to do that?”
She once had a difficult case in which a client was set free after the state did not meet their burden to prove guilt. About a week later, her client murdered his wife. In order for El-Khouri to continue with her job and not just walk away, she sought therapy.
A rewarding case El-Khouri recalled was over an officer who lied during a trial.
“When your client has told you up front, they didn’t do it, they are making it up and you believe them – those are the cases you come out of feeling on top of the world,” she said.
El-Khouri has watched a lot of jurors, and one thing is certain – nothing is for sure. One misnomer is that if the jury comes back quickly from deliberating, it will be a not guilty verdict, but that is not always the case.
Upon her retirement, she was awarded the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine,” the highest award granted for state service by the Office of the Governor.
El-Khouri is happy to be retired, but she does sometimes miss the job and continues to keep in touch with her co-workers to find out what’s going on.
She is a cat lover who enjoys friends, movies, dinners out, all kinds of music and concerts, as well as reading and walking. She is involved in a book and women’s movie club, and wants to go back to playing the trumpet at some point. Her favorite colors are black and red, and she likes roses.
She lives in Charlotte, but plans to eventually move back to Andrews and build a house next to her childhood home.
Her advice to young folks wanting to work in her previous field? “Have respect, integrity, kindness and compassion. Treat other people as human beings and that can be applied to anything in life,” El-Khouri said.
And as to the common question about whether or not judges wear any clothing under their robes, she said with a laugh, “That depends on the judge.”
Do you know someone who has an is interesting story to share? Let the Cherokee Scout tell it to the community. Please email the person’s name, phone number and brief information to anngeeq@gmail.com. Special people deserve a few minutes in the spotlight.