The Chief Judge for Durham County's District Court, Clayton Jones Jr., has been embroiled in controversy following his arrest on allegations of domestic violence and assault on a female. The 47-year-old's charges relate to a November 29 incident where he is accused of assaulting a woman he had been in a relationship with, grabbing her by the neck during a dispute, as reported by WRAL.
Following the incident which occurred at an autobody shop on the same date, a protective order was filed against Judge Jones, expiring on December 9, details obtained by CBS 17 show that during the confrontation Jones allegedly became irate after the woman called another man for a mechanic's advice and made threatening comments before the alleged physical assault ensued, the situation got heated when the judge purportedly stated that the woman was "ungrateful" before the 911 call was made but wasn't followed through as the operators received no response after calling back twice.
Jones was arrested and taken to the Orange County Detention Center, as of now, he is not in custody; however, Jones' attorneys, Bill Thomas and Kellie Mannette, fervently defend their client, stating that "the allegations are entirely false," they argue that no eyewitness at the local business where the event allegedly occurred corroborated the accuser's claims, as highlighted in a statement secured by CBS 17. They continued to emphasize that as a judge, Jones is subject to additional scrutiny but respects the court process and anticipates being swiftly exonerated.
The case, initially set for a January 5, 2026 court date, may be transferred to Guilford County, discussions for this change of venue are expected to begin next year, while Judge Doretta L. Walker has been appointed temporarily in Jones' stead to ensure that the duties of the Chief District Court Judge are maintained in his absence, as relayed by ABC11.
