She was a prominent woman in North Carolina law and the wife of John M. Belk, a four-term mayor of Charlotte.

Belk also pushed back on the idea that, as a woman, she would be too emotional to make decisions in her domestic and juvenile court, remarking that she was educated for the job.

[4] In 2000, it was announced that the public safety building at Central Piedmont Community College would be renamed the "Claudia Watkins Belk Center for Justice".

[3] In 1968, Watkins met John M. Belk, known as "Charlotte's most eligible bachelor", at a reception for the Democratic Women's Club.

[6] John's niece commented that "It was kind of like a made-for-TV match: Beautiful district court judge marries city mayor".