North Carolina Supreme Court
The Appellate Division is made up of the NC Supreme Court and the NC Court of Appeals. Decisions made by the NC Supreme Court are final, and are decided by seven justices serving eight year terms. While trial courts review the facts of a case to make decisions, appellate courts review if the law was followed correctly by the lower courts. Through its administrative responsibilities, the NC Supreme Court sets policies and standards for judges and court administrators to follow.
- Paul Newby (R) – next up for election in 2028
- Anita Earls (D) – next up for election in 2026
- Phil Berger Jr. (R) – next up for election in 2028
- Tamara Barringer (R) – next up for election in 2028
- Richard Deitz (R) – next up for election in 2028
- Trey Allen (R) – next up for election in 2030
- Allison Riggs (D) – next up for election in 2024
NC Supreme Court Candidates: Allison Riggs (Democrat) and Jefferson Griffin (Republican) will be on your ballot.
North Carolina Court of Appeals
Cases are heard by a rotating panel of three judges assigned by the NC Supreme Court’s Chief Justice. The NC Court of Appeals checks if lower courts applied the law correctly in cases. If a party involved disagrees with the appellate court’s decision, they can ask the NC Supreme Court to review the case.
Currently, four out of the 15 judges on the Court of Appeals are Democrats. Out of the seats up for reelection, 2 are currently held by Republican Judges.
NC Court of Appeal Candidates:
- Thomas Murray (R) and Carolyn Thompson (D) will be on your ballot for Seat 12.
- Ed Eldred (D) and Valerie Johnson Zachary (R) will be on your ballot for Seat 14.
- Christopher Freeman ((R) and Martin Moore (D) will be on your ballot for seat 15.
North Carolina Superior Court
Trial courts that decide cases involving felony charges, civil cases involving over $25,000, and misdemeanor appeals from lower courts. There are 111 judges that serve eight-year terms across 48 districts on a rotating schedule.
District Courts
District courts hear cases involving civil, criminal, and juvenile matters. While some civil cases are decided by juries, other issues such as child custody disputes are determined by a judge. District court judges are elected by registered voters residing in their district to four-year terms. There are 282 district court judges in 43 districts located in every county seat.
Not all voters may have Superior Court or District Court races. To see if an election is being held in your district and learn about candidate platforms and background, visit ncvoter.org/guide
How do the Courts impact you?
The ideological balance of the court can affect laws surrounding education, voting rights, environmental protections, and reproductive access.
Education is on the ballot. Leandro v. State
In 1994, School Boards in Cumberland, Halifax, Hoke, Robeson and Vance counties sued the State arguing the school funding system violated the NC Constitution. Although the NC Supreme Court has required schools to be funded to meet basic education needs, like well-trained teachers and updated resources, the state continues to underfund public schools . The Court has recently decided to rehear this case, for the fifth time, putting the education of North Carolinians at stake.
Democracy is on the ballot. Harper v. Hall and NC NAACP v. Moore
In 2022, the NC Supreme Court ruled that legislators who are elected as a result of unlawful racial gerrymandering do not possess the authority to make certain constitutional amendments. The case was sent back to the lower courts to decide if the implementation of photo ID and state income tax amendments were passed legitimately. Considering the reversal of Harper v. Hall, where the Court’s new conservative majority ruled that gerrymandering disputes were outside the court’s legal authority, NC NAACP may be taken up again by the Court.
Environmental protections are on the ballot. Clayton, et. al. v. Person County
In Person County, residents filed a case in Superior Court raising concerns that rezoning changes allowed for the construction of Dominion Energy’s Moriah Center, a liquefied natural gas storage facility in a rural area. Residents argue that the rezoning decision ignores public concerns about the facility’s harmful health and environmental impacts, including air pollution, increased noise and traffic, and threats to water sources.
Reproductive Health is on the ballot.
In the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, state courts have more power to expand or deny reproductive freedom. State Supreme Courts have made critical rulings to protect, restrict, or criminalize reproductive health access. Judges who oppose reproductive freedom have upheld total abortion bans, even in cases of life-threatening pregnancies. Judges who support reproductive freedom have ruled that state constitutions protect the right to an abortion and prevented public funding restrictions on reproductive care. In 2023, North Carolina lawmakers approved a 12-week abortion ban and that law is currently being litigated in North Carol federal court, not state court.
Criminal Justice issues are on the ballot. State v. Hobbs
In Cumberland County, a defendant convicted of murder, argued the Court wrongly dismissed his objections to the State’s unconstitutional removal of Black jurors during jury selection. In a 6-1 decision, the NC Supreme Court found that the lower courts did not properly consider racial discrimination evidence and ordered a new hearing. This case highlights the crucial role judges play in ensuring fair trials by examining claims of bias and discrimination in our legal system.
Where can I learn more about the courts? Check out the “Why Courts Matter?” webpage to learn more.
To find races on your ballot, visit ncvoter.org/guide