Editor’s note: This story is No. 10 in a series looking at the top 10 stories of 2020 for The Daily News, counting down from 10 to 1 from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1. A former N.C. District Court judge is on the opposite side of the bench with a pending driving while impaired charge that marred his 2020 election bid to keep his judicial seat. Former Judge Tim Smith of Duplin County was charged in January with misdemeanor driving while impaired after being pulled over on N.C. 41 outside of Trenton for alleged erratic driving. According to previous Daily News reports, a standard roadside sobriety test was performed and it was determined Smith was allegedly impaired by a substance other than alcohol.