Douglas McCullough

J. Douglas McCullough is an American lawyer and former judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. McCullough retired in 2017.[1]

Douglas McCullough
Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals
In office
January 1, 2011 – April 24, 2017
Preceded byCressie Thigpen
Succeeded byJohn S. Arrowood
In office
January 1, 2001 – January 1, 2009
Preceded byClarence Horton
Succeeded byCheri Beasley
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLucci
Children2
ResidenceAtlantic Beach, North Carolina
EducationUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA)
University of South Carolina (JD)

Education and career

After earning a history degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1967 and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina in 1970, McCullough served in the United States Marine Corps, retiring as a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves. McCullough worked as legislative counsel for New Mexico Senator Harrison Schmitt, as a counsel to the United States Senate, and finally as an Assistant United States Attorney in the eastern district of North Carolina from 1981 through 1996, when he left to enter private practice.

In November 2000, McCullough was elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals with just over 50 percent of the vote, defeating incumbent Clarence Horton.[2]

Personal life

He is married to Lucci McCullough and has two children. He resides in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina.

On October 7, 2006, McCullough was charged with drunk driving. He pleaded guilty to driving while impaired on April 3, 2007.[3]

Elections

2008 re-election campaign

McCullough is a registered Republican, but in his 2008 bid for re-election, he cited bipartisan support from notables such as former NC Supreme Court Chief Justices Burley Mitchell (a Democrat) and I. Beverly Lake Jr. (a Republican).[4] He also enjoyed support from former North Carolina Court of Appeals Judges S. Gerald Arnold, Sidney S. Eagles, K. Edward Greene, and Albert S. Thomas Jr.

McCullough was criticized in 2007 for implying that he and other incumbent Republican incumbents should be re-elected because they would favor Republicans in an anticipated lawsuit over redistricting.[5][6][7] An ethics complaint was filed against him as a result of his comments.[8]In response to the complaint, the state Judicial Standards Commission said it would not punish McCullough, but it also said that it had made "an effort to ensure such conduct is not repeated."[9]

McCullough was defeated in the November 2008 election by state District Court judge Cheri Beasley.[10][11]

2010 election

McCullough won a new term on the Court of Appeals in 2010, when he came in second in the first round, but won the second round, of the first use of instant runoff voting for a statewide election in North Carolina. He narrowly defeated appointed incumbent judge Cressie Thigpen.[12]

Electoral history

2010

North Carolina Court of Appeals (Wynn seat) election, 2010[13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanCressie Thigpen (incumbent) 395,220 20.33%
NonpartisanDouglas McCullough 295,619 15.21%
NonpartisanChris Dillon201,87010.39%
NonpartisanAnne Middleton174,5568.98%
NonpartisanDaniel E. Garner153,9717.92%
NonpartisanJewel Ann Farlow151,7477.81%
NonpartisanHarry Payne99,2575.11%
NonpartisanStan Hammer96,4514.96%
NonpartisanMark E. Klass90,5264.66%
NonpartisanPamela M. Vesper90,1164.64%
NonpartisanJohn F. Bloss78,8574.06%
NonpartisanJohn Sullivan69,9713.60%
NonpartisanJ. Wesley Casteen45,6102.35%
Total votes1,943,771 100%
North Carolina Court of Appeals (Wynn seat) election, 2010
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanDouglas McCullough 543,980 50.31%
NonpartisanCressie Thigpen (incumbent)537,32549.69%
Total votes1,081,305 100%

2008

North Carolina Court of Appeals (McCullough seat) election, 2008[14]
PartyCandidateVotes%
NonpartisanCheri Beasley 1,706,132 57.42%
NonpartisanDouglas McCullough (incumbent)1,265,37842.58%
Total votes2,971,510 100%

2000

North Carolina Court of Appeals (Horton seat) election, 2000[15]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanDouglas McCullough 1,371,798 50.32%
DemocraticClarence E. Horton Jr. (incumbent)1,354,54349.68%
Total votes2,726,341 100%
Republican gain from Democratic


References

Legal offices
Preceded by
Clarence Horton
Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals
2001–2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals
2011–2017
Succeeded by