District Court
Dispatches from the North Carolina court system: Guilford County’s ‘jail docket’
Shaletta Ryans went to court Monday afternoon without even having to leave jail. She appeared in a Guilford County courtroom via a live video feed, her image beaming onto five computer screens in front of prosecutors, a public defender and a judge. She didn’t say much, but the courtroom’s speakers rattled with the sound of chains, the cacophonous soundtrack of jail.
Cooper appoints unopposed Robeson judicial candidate to fill District Court vacancy
Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Brooke Locklear Clark to fill a judicial vacancy in Robeson County District Court. Clark, who has practiced law in that area for more than 13 years, will serve the remainder of Chief District Court Judge J. Stanley Carmical, who was recently appointed to serve as a special Superior Court judge. “Clark’s […]
Cooper appoints new judges to the state bench
Gov. Roy Cooper has appointed six new judges to the state bench — one to Superior Court and five to District Court. Each of the appointees are replacing judges who retired or who were appointed to other judgeships. “Superior and District Court judges are so important to our justice system and hear cases critical to […]
Judicial maps move forward despite pleas to slow down from public, judicial stakeholders
[dropcap] H [/dropcap]ouse Republicans in the judicial redistricting committee and two Democrats voted Wednesday to move judicial maps forward despite nearly four hours of debate and public comment that included numerous requests to slow down. With few favorable amendments, the maps in House Bill 717 will remake the structure of the state’s court system, with […]
Floyd McKissick Jr. seeks District Court seat vacated by new lawmaker Marcia Morey
When one door opens for a judge to become a legislator, another door opens for a legislator to become a judge. Former District Court Judge Marcia Morey was appointed to N.C. House District 30 at the end of March, leaving vacant a seat on the bench that state Sen. Floyd McKissick Jr. now seeks to […]
Committee reins in expansive powers for AOC director; approves District Court judges serving on Superior Court
After North Carolina representatives from both parties expressed concern about a bill that would give the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) director unfettered power over court processes, an amendment was approved to eliminate the provision altogether. Rep. Rena Turner (R-Iredell), the sponsor of the bill, said she would have preferred to keep House Bill 236 whole, […]
Judiciary committee agenda: District Court judges could serve on Superior Court cases challenging GA; AOC director could get unfettered power over local courts
The House Judiciary I Committee will hear two more bills today that would change the judiciary’s current structure. Republican Rep. Sarah Stevens sponsors House Bill 677, which would allow District Court judges to serve on three-judge Superior Court panels addressing constitutional challenges to General Assembly laws. In layman’s terms, judges from a lower court could […]
ICYMI: Mecklenburg District judges speak out against lawmakers’ effort to subdivide court districts
District Court judges in Mecklenburg County held a press conference before court earlier this week to speak out against Senate Bill 306. The bill was introduced earlier this month and seeks to subdivide Mecklenburg County District Courts to mirror Superior Courts. It is sponsored by Mecklenburg Republicans, Sen. Jeff Tarte and Sen. Dan Bishop. WBTV […]
Legislature overrides veto, joins seven other states in making partisan judicial elections law
Superior and District Court judicial candidates will now be identified on the ballot with an R or D by their name. The Republican-led General Assembly voted to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of House Bill 100. The House voted along party lines to override the veto yesterday and the Senate voted today. Ford Porter, […]
The best editorial of the weekend
If you get a chance, be sure to check out the Saturday editorial in the Greensboro News & Record entitled “A judicious veto.” In it, the N&R rightfully praises Roy Cooper’s first veto as Governor (this one of legislation seeking to make District and Superior Court elections partisan). “Gov. Roy Cooper delivered a well-aimed veto […]
In first veto, Cooper says no to partisan judicial elections
Gov. Roy Cooper signed his first veto Thursday of House Bill 100, which would restore partisan judicial elections for Superior and District Court judges. He wrote a letter explaining why he vetoed the bill: “North Carolina wants its judges to be fair and impartial, and partisan politics has no place on the judges’ bench. We need […]
Senate votes to make last of judicial elections partisan again
The Senate voted 32-15 Monday night to make Superior and District court judicial elections partisan again. House Bill 100 will now be sent to Gov. Roy Cooper to be signed into law. It will be the last law to make all of North Carolina’s judicial elections partisan since lawmakers already added party labels back into Supreme […]