Durham County Chief District Court Judge Clayton Jones was charged in December 2025 with a misdemeanor charge of assault on a female and misdemeanor domestic violence after an alleged fight at an Advance Auto store.
According to our newsgather partner, the Raleigh News and Observer Jones was found not guilty on Thursday in a Guilford County courtroom. The newspaper reports that the case was moved from Durham and tried by a judge from Harnett County.
Judge Doretta L. Walker, a district court judge, has been appointed temporarily to replace Jones during his absence.
ABC11 obtained documents in December that stated Jones allegedly took a woman to get some work done on her car on Nov. 29. An apparent argument ensued between the two that day, and Jones is accused of allegedly grabbing her by the neck.
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According to court documents, the woman called 911 but hung up. 911 operators reportedly called back twice but got no answer.
After the charges were filed, Jones's attorneys called the accusations against him false.
"These events that led to the false accusation happened at a local business," his attorneys, Bill Thomas and Kellie Mannette, said in part. "During the exhaustive police investigation, not a single eyewitness was found at the business who supported the false claim of assault. Being a judge comes with the public eye and additional scrutiny. Judge Jones deeply respects the court process and expects to be quickly vindicated in this matter."