Before retiring from the bench, Sharon served as a Special Superior Court Judge, holding court in thirty of North Carolina's one hundred counties. In this position as trial judge, she presided over jury trials and also heard and decided many different types of non-jury matters.

She also served as a District Court Judge in the 28th Judicial District for five years. Initially appointed to the bench in 2005, she was then twice elected by the voters of Buncombe County.  She presided both in criminal and civil courts, hearing a wide range of cases.

Sharon practiced law in Asheville for nineteen years with the firm of Patla, Straus, Robinson & Moore, P.A., representing individual, corporate and governmental clients in state and federal courts in a wide range of areas, including: business, personal injury, contract and commercial disputes, employment matters, medical negligence, construction, discrimination and real estate.

Sharon Tracey Barrett graduated cum laude from the Honors Program at Boston College in 1983, then earned her law degree from Georgetown Law in 1986. Since that time, she has attended and taught various Continuing Legal Education seminars, and has received training at the North Carolina Judicial College.

She served for many years on the Board of Directors of The Mediation Center, a western North Carolina non-profit providing mediation and supervised visitation services. 

She served as President of the Buncombe County Bar from 2002-2003 (28th Judicial District), and has also served as Secretary-Treasurer and as a member of the Grievance Committee, Pro Bono Committee, and Executive Committee.

She was a member of the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission for three years, serving as Chair of the Legislative Subcommittee in 2012-2013.

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