North Carolina Court of Appeals

Last updated

North Carolina Court of Appeals
Court Seal.jpg
Seal of the North Carolina Court of Appeals
North Carolina Court of Appeals Building.jpg
Court of Appeals Building
Established1967
Location Raleigh, North Carolina
Composition methodPartisan election
Authorised by Constitution of North Carolina
Appeals to North Carolina Supreme Court
Judge term length8 years (mandatory retirement at the age of 76)
Number of positions15
Website https://www.nccourts.gov/courts/court-of-appeals
Chief Judge
Currently Chris Dillon

The North Carolina Court of Appeals (in case citation, N.C. Ct. App.) is the only intermediate appellate court in the state of North Carolina. It is composed of fifteen members who sit in rotating panels of three. [1] The Court of Appeals was created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1967 after voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1965 which "authorized the creation of an intermediate court of appeals to relieve pressure on the North Carolina Supreme Court." [2]

Contents

Judges serve eight-year terms and are elected in statewide elections. The General Assembly made Court of Appeals elections non-partisan starting with the 2004 elections, but later made them partisan again after the 2016 elections. [3]

History

The creation of a Court of Appeals in North Carolina was first authorized by a constitutional amendment in 1965, but did not occur until a statute was made effective on January 1, 1967. [4]

Function

The Court of Appeals, along with the Supreme Court, constitute the Appellate Division within North Carolina's unified court system, the General Court of Justice. [5] Its structure is determined by statute. [6]

The court comprises 15 members, with one designated as a chief judge by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. [5] Judges of the court are elected in statewide races to serve eight-year terms. [7] Judges of the court convene in three member panels to hear cases. Rulings of one panel are binding upon other panels of the court and lower courts and can only be overruled by the Supreme Court. [8]

Current judges

SeatNameBornJoinedTerm ends [a] Mandatory retirement [b] Law schoolParty affiliation
6 Chris Dillon , Chief Judge1965 (age 5960)January 1, 20132028April 30, 2041 North Carolina Republican
9 Donna Stroud June 28, 1964 (age 60)January 1, 20072030June 30, 2040 Campbell Republican
10 John M. Tyson July 14, 1953 (age 71)January 1, 2015 [c] 2030July 31, 2029Campbell Republican
14 Valerie Zachary 1962 (age 6263)July 31, 20152032August 31, 2038 Harvard Republican
1 John S. Arrowood November 4, 1956 (age 68)April 24, 2017 [d] 2026November 30, 2032North Carolina Democratic
3 Allegra Collins January 13, 1972 (age 53)January 1, 20192026January 31, 2048Campbell Democratic
2 Toby Hampson December 20, 1975 (age 49)January 1, 20192026December 31, 2051Campbell Democratic
7 Jeff Carpenter 1972 (age 5253)January 1, 20212028August 31, 2048Campbell Republican
4 April C. Wood 1973 (age 5152)January 1, 202120282049 Regent Republican
5 W. Fred Gore 1974 (age 5051)January 1, 202120282050 Appalachian Republican
13 Jefferson Griffin October 7, 1980 (age 44)January 1, 20212028October 31, 2056 NC Central Republican
8 Julee T. Flood July 7, 1961 (age 63)January 1, 20232030July 31, 2037 New Hampshire Republican
11 Michael J. Stading January 24, 1981 (age 44)January 1, 20232030January 31, 2057Campbell Republican
12 Tom Murry May 8, 1977 (age 47)January 1, 20252032May 31, 2053Campbell Republican
15 Chris Freeman August 5, 1977 (age 47)January 1, 20252032August 31, 2053Regent Republican

Notes:

  1. Term ends Dec. 31 of the year listed.
  2. North Carolina judges must retire on the last day of the month in which they turn age 76.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000013-QINU`"'
  3. Previously elected to Seat 13 in 2000, and took office January 1, 2001 – December 31, 2008.
  4. Previously appointed to Seat 12 and took office September 7, 2007 – December 31, 2008.

Former judges

A partial list of former judges is listed below: [9]

See also

References

  1. "GS_7A-16". www.ncleg.net. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  2. "Court of Appeals Celebrates 40th Anniversary". NC Bar Association site.
  3. "NC Policy Watch: McCrory signs Senate Bill 4". pulse.ncpoliciywatch.org.
  4. Orth & Newby 2013, p. 131.
  5. 1 2 Orth & Newby 2013, p. 130.
  6. Orth & Newby 2013, p. 132.
  7. "About the Court of Appeals". North Carolina Judicial Branch. North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  8. Orth & Newby 2013, pp. 131–132.
  9. "North Carolina Supreme Court Historical Society". NCSCHS.NET. Retrieved December 15, 2019., Older Link for N.C. Supreme Court Historical Society Archived 2016-07-27 at the Wayback Machine

Works cited