North Carolina Court of Appeals

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]

North Carolina Court of Appeals
Seal of the North Carolina Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Building
Established1967
LocationRaleigh, North Carolina
Composition methodPartisan election
Authorized byConstitution of North Carolina
Appeals toNorth Carolina Supreme Court
Judge term length8 years (mandatory retirement at the age of 76)
Number of positions15
Websitehttps://www.nccourts.gov/courts/court-of-appeals
Chief Judge
CurrentlyChris Dillon

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]

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.[4]

Judges of the court are elected in statewide races to serve eight-year terms.[5]

Current judges

SeniorityNameBornJoinedTerm ends[a]Mandatory retirement[b]Law schoolParty affiliation
1Chris Dillon, Chief Judge1965 (age 58–59)January 1, 20132028April 20, 2041North CarolinaRepublican
2Donna Stroud (1964-06-28) June 28, 1964 (age 59)20072030June 28, 2040CampbellRepublican
3John M. Tyson (1953-07-14) July 14, 1953 (age 70)2001–09, 20152030July 14, 2029CampbellRepublican


4Valerie Zachary1962 (age 61–62)201520242040HarvardRepublican


5Hunter Murphy1981 (age 42–43)January 1, 20172024Jan 24, 2059University of the PacificRepublican


6John S. Arrowood (1956-11-04) November 4, 1956 (age 67)2007–08, 201720262032North CarolinaDemocratic


7Allegra Collins (1972-01-13) January 13, 1972 (age 52)January 1, 20192026Jan. 30, 2048CampbellDemocratic


8Toby Hampson (1975-12-20) December 20, 1975 (age 48)January 1, 20192026Dec. 20, 2051CampbellDemocratic


9Jeff CarpenterJanuary 1, 20212028CampbellRepublican


10April C. WoodJanuary 1, 20212028RegentRepublican


11Fred GoreJanuary 1, 20212028AppalachianRepublican


12Jefferson Griffin (1980-10-07) October 7, 1980 (age 43)January 1, 202120282056NC CentralRepublican


13Julee Tate FloodJanuary 1, 20232030New HampshireRepublican


14Michael J. StadingJanuary 1, 20232030CampbellRepublican


15Carolyn ThompsonSeptember 11, 20232024NC CentralDemocratic

Notes:

Former judges

A partial list of former judges is listed below:[6]

See also

References

Works cited

External links