Courts in North Carolina
| More information on North Carolina's state courts: |
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| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In North Carolina, there are three federal district courts, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and subject matter jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through North Carolina's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Judicial selection process
The seven justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court and the 15 judges of the North Carolina Court of Appeals are chosen by partisan election.[1] This became law in December 2016.[2] Before that, election of appellate judges had been nonpartisan since 2004.[3]
The judges of the North Carolina Superior Courts are all chosen in partisan elections to serve eight-year terms. From 1996 through 2016, elections for superior court judges were nonpartisan; however, on March 23, 2017, the North Carolina legislature changed the method of election to partisan elections by overriding Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of HB 100. This change was effective with the 2018 superior court elections.[4][5][6][7][8]
The judges of the North Carolina District Courts are all chosen in partisan elections to serve four-year terms. From 2002 through 2016, elections for district court judges were nonpartisan; however, on March 23, 2017, the North Carolina legislature changed the method of election to partisan elections by overriding Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of HB 100. This change was effective with the 2018 district court elections.[7][8]
To read more about judicial elections in North Carolina, click here.
Federal courts
The federal district courts in North Carolina are the:
- The United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- The United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
- The United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
Rulings from these federal courts can be appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.
Active judges
Eastern District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 1984 - |
Brown University, 1967 |
American University, Washington College of Law, 1970 |
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| July 18, 2003 - |
Wake Forest University, 1984 |
University of Virginia School of Law, 1988 |
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| May 2, 2005 - |
University of Notre Dame, 1984 |
Duke University School of Law, 1987 |
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| December 10, 2019 - |
University of North Carolina, Wilmington, 1989 |
University of North Carolina School of Law, 1998 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 0
- Republican appointed: 4
Middle District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 19, 2007 - |
University of North Carolina, 1983 |
University of North Carolina School of Law, 1987 |
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| January 8, 2008 - |
Kansas University, 1981 |
Notre Dame Law, 1984 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed:
- Republican appointed: 2
Western District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12, 2007 - |
University of North Carolina, 1981 |
University of North Carolina School of Law, 1984 |
||
| March 11, 2011 - |
University of North Carolina, 1973 |
Samford University Cumberland Law, 1976 |
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| June 12, 2019 - |
Wake Forest University, 1980 |
Wake Forest University School of Law, 1983 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 1
- Republican appointed: 2
District map
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
State supreme court
- See also: Supreme Court of North Carolina
The Supreme Court of North Carolina is the court of last resort in the state. Seven justices serve on this court. The primary function of the Supreme Court is to decide questions of law that have arisen in the lower courts or state administrative agencies, as well as to review Court of Appeals cases upon petition.[9] The following judges sit on the court:
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Supreme Court | Trey Allen | Republican | January 1, 2023 |
| North Carolina Supreme Court | Tamara Barringer | Republican | January 1, 2021 |
| North Carolina Supreme Court | Phil Berger Jr. | Republican | January 1, 2021 |
| North Carolina Supreme Court | Richard Dietz | Republican | January 1, 2023 |
| North Carolina Supreme Court | Anita Earls | Democratic | January 1, 2019 |
| North Carolina Supreme Court | Paul Martin Newby | Republican | January 1, 2005 |
| North Carolina Supreme Court | Allison Riggs | Democratic | September 11, 2023 |
State court of appeals
- See also: North Carolina Court of Appeals
The North Carolina Court of Appeals is the state's intermediate appellate court. Fifteen judges serve on this court. Rotating panels of three judges hear cases, which are appeals from the trial courts.[10] The following judges sit on the court:
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
2017 - Present |
Roy Cooper |
|
|
January 1, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2015 - Present |
Pat McCrory |
|
|
January 1, 2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2013 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2015 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 2, 2007 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2025 - Present |
||
|
January 1, 2025 - Present |
Trial courts
Superior courts
- See also: North Carolina Superior Courts
The North Carolina Superior Courts hear felony criminal cases, civil cases involving more than $25,000, and appeals from the district courts. The superior courts are divided into five divisions.[11] The map below shows each of those divisions by county.
District courts
- See also: North Carolina District Courts
The North Carolina District Courts preside in cases involving civil, criminal, juvenile, and magistrate matters. These courts are divided into 42 judicial districts.[12] The map below shows each of these judicial districts by county.
Special courts
North Carolina directs certain cases to a group of special courts with limited scopes. The following special courts exist in North Carolina:
- Business Court - This court is headed by a special superior court judge who oversees cases involving corporate and commercial law and that are assigned to the court by the chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.[13]
- Family Court - These courts help the district courts resolve domestic and juvenile cases.[14]
- Recovery Courts - These courts were created to help offenders with chemical dependency issues to follow their court-ordered treatment plans.[15]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: North Carolina," archived December 1, 2021
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "Session Law 2016-125 Senate Bill 4," December 16, 2016
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "Session Law 2002-158 Senate Bill 1054," October 10, 2002
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: North Carolina," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "Session Law 2015-292: House Bill 8," October 29, 2015
- ↑ North Carolina Office of the Governor, "News release: Governor McCrory Signs Bills to Support Those Who Keep North Carolina Safe," archived December 29, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The News & Observer, "Veto override means voters will know judges’ party affiliations," March 23, 2017
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 General Assembly of North Carolina, "House Bill 100," accessed May 5, 2017
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Supreme Court," accessed March 5, 2021
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Court of Appeals," accessed July 9, 2019
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "North Carolina Superior Court Districts," accessed April 24, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "North Carolina District Court Districts," accessed April 24, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Business Court," accessed March 5, 2021
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Family Court," accessed March 5, 2021
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Recovery Courts," accessed March 5, 2021
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina
State courts:
Supreme Court of North Carolina • North Carolina Court of Appeals • North Carolina Superior Courts • North Carolina District Courts
State resources:
Courts in North Carolina • North Carolina judicial elections • Judicial selection in North Carolina
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