(a) Each district court district shall have the numbers of judges as set forth in the following table: District Judges County 1 5 Camden Chowan Currituck Dare Gates Pasquotank Perquimans 2 4 Beaufort Hyde Martin Tyrrell Washington 3 6 Pitt 4 6 Carteret Craven Pamlico 5 10 Duplin Jones Onslow Sampson 6 9 New Hanover Pender 7 4 Bertie Halifax Hertford Northampton 8 7 Edgecombe Nash Wilson 9 6 Greene Lenoir Wayne 10A 3 (part of Wake see subsection (b)) 10B 3 (part of Wake see subsection (b)) 10C 3 (part of Wake see subsection (b)) 10D 5 (part of Wake see subsection (b)) 10E 3 (part of Wake see subsection (b)) 10F 3 (part of Wake see subsection (b)) 11A 5 Franklin Granville (part of Vance see subsection (b)) Person 11B 2 Warren (part of Vance see subsection (b)) 12 11 Harnett Johnston Lee 14 10 Cumberland 15 7 Bladen Brunswick Columbus 16 7 Durham 17 5 Alamance 18 5 Chatham Orange 20 6 Robeson 21 4 Anson Richmond Scotland 22 4 Caswell Rockingham 23 4 Stokes Surry 24 14 Guilford 25 6 Cabarrus 26 21 Mecklenburg 27 5 Rowan 28 3 Montgomery, Stanly 29 5 Hoke, Moore 30 5 Union 31 11 Forsyth 32 6 Alexander Iredell 33 6 Davidson Davie 34 5 Alleghany Ashe Wilkes Yadkin 35 4 Avery Madison Mitchell Watauga Yancey 36 10 Burke Caldwell Catawba 37 5 Randolph 38 7 Gaston 39 6 Cleveland Lincoln 40 7 Buncombe 41 4 McDowell Rutherford 42 5 Henderson Polk Transylvania 43 7 Cherokee Clay Graham Haywood Jackson Macon Swain. (b) For district court districts of less than a whole county, or with part or all of one county with part of another, the composition of the district is as follows: (1) District Court District 11A consists of Person, Franklin and Granville Counties and the remainder of Vance County not in District Court District 11B. (2) District Court District 11B consists of Warren County and VTD EH1, VTD MIDD, VTD NH1, VTD NH2, VTD TWNS, VTD WMSB of Vance County. (3) Repealed by Session Laws 2021-180, s. 16.7(b), effective January 1, 2025. (4) Repealed by Session Laws 2021-180, s. 16.7(b), effective January 1, 2025. (5) District 10A: Wake County: VTD 01-42, VTD 01-47, VTD 02-01, VTD 02-02, VTD 02-03, VTD 02-04, VTD 02-05, VTD 02-06, VTD 07-02, VTD 07-06, VTD 07-07, VTD 08-04, VTD 08-05, VTD 08-07, VTD 09-01, VTD 09-03, VTD 10-01, VTD 13-10, VTD 13-11, VTD 14-01, VTD 14-02, VTD 19-03, VTD 19-04, VTD 19-05, VTD 19-06, VTD 19-07, VTD 19-09, VTD 19-10, VTD 19-11, VTD 19-12. (6) District 10B: Wake County: VTD 09-02, VTD 10-02, VTD 10-03, VTD 10-04, VTD 13-01, VTD 13-07, VTD 13-08, VTD 13-09, VTD 16-08, VTD 17-02, VTD 17-03, VTD 17-04, VTD 17-06, VTD 17-07, VTD 17-08, VTD 17-09, VTD 17-11, VTD 19-16, VTD 19-17. (7) District 10C: Wake County: VTD 01-04, VTD 01-09, VTD 01-10, VTD 01-12, VTD 01-13, VTD 01-14, VTD 01-15, VTD 01-17, VTD 01-18, VTD 01-28, VTD 01-30, VTD 01-34, VTD 01-36, VTD 01-37, VTD 01-38, VTD 01-39, VTD 01-43, VTD 01-44, VTD 01-45, VTD 01-46, VTD 01-51, VTD 07-03, VTD 07-04, VTD 07-05, VTD 07-09, VTD 07-11, VTD 07-12, VTD 07-13, VTD 08-02, VTD 08-06, VTD 08-09, VTD 13-02, VTD 13-05, VTD 13-06, VTD 17-01, VTD 17-05, VTD 17-10. (8) District 10D: Wake County: VTD 01-01, VTD 01-02, VTD 01-03, VTD 01-05, VTD 01-06, VTD 01-07, VTD 01-11, VTD 01-16, VTD 01-29, VTD 01-33, VTD 01-49, VTD 04-01, VTD 04-02, VTD 04-03, VTD 04-04, VTD 04-05, VTD 04-06, VTD 04-07, VTD 04-08, VTD 04-09, VTD 04-10, VTD 04-11, VTD 04-12, VTD 04-14, VTD 04-15, VTD 04-16, VTD 04-17, VTD 04-18, VTD 04-20, VTD 04-21, VTD 05-05, VTD 06-05, VTD 06-07, VTD 07-01, VTD 07-10, VTD 08-03, VTD 08-08, VTD 08-10, VTD 08-11, VTD 11-01, VTD 11-02, VTD 12-01, VTD 12-02, VTD 12-04, VTD 12-05, VTD 12-06, VTD 12-07, VTD 12-09, VTD 15-01, VTD 15-02, VTD 15-03, VTD 15-04, VTD 16-01, VTD 16-05, VTD 16-09, VTD 18-02, VTD 18-03, VTD 18-05, VTD 20-03, VTD 20-05, VTD 20-09. (9) District 10E: Wake County: VTD 01-19, VTD 01-20, VTD 01-21, VTD 01-22, VTD 01-23, VTD 01-25, VTD 01-26, VTD 01-27, VTD 01-31, VTD 01-32, VTD 01-35, VTD 01-40, VTD 01-41, VTD 01-48, VTD 01-50, VTD 16-02, VTD 16-03, VTD 16-04, VTD 16-06, VTD 16-07, VTD 18-01, VTD 18-04, VTD 18-06, VTD 18-07, VTD 18-08. (10) District 10F: Wake County: VTD 03-00, VTD 04-13, VTD 04-19, VTD 05-01, VTD 05-03, VTD 05-04, VTD 05-06, VTD 06-01, VTD 06-04, VTD 06-06, VTD 12-08, VTD 20-01, VTD 20-02, VTD 20-04, VTD 20-06, VTD 20-08, VTD 20-10, VTD 20-11, VTD 20-12. (11) through (18) Repealed by Session Laws 2020-84, s. 2(a), effective January 1, 2021. The names and boundaries of voting tabulation districts specified for Wake County, and Vance County in this section are as shown on the 2010 Census Redistricting TIGER/Line Shapefiles. Precinct boundaries for other counties are those reported by the United States Bureau of the Census under Public Law 94-171 for the 1990 Census in the IVTD Version of the TIGER files. (b1) The qualified voters of District Court District 12 shall elect all eight judges established for the District in subsection (a) of this section, but only persons who reside in Johnston County may be candidates for five of the judgeships, only persons who reside in Harnett County may be candidates for two of the judgeships, and only persons who reside in Lee County may be candidates for the remaining judgeship. (b2) The qualified voters of District Court District 15 shall elect all seven judges established for the District in subsection (a) of this section, but only persons who reside in Bladen County may be candidates for one of those judgeships, only persons who reside in Columbus County may be candidates for two of those judgeships, and only persons who reside in Brunswick County may be candidates for four of those judgeships. These district court judgeships shall be numbered and assigned for residency purposes as follows: (1) Seat number one, established for residents of Brunswick County by this section, shall be the seat currently held by Judge Barefoot. (2) Seat number two, established for residents of Brunswick County by this section, shall be the seat currently held by Judge Fairley. (3) Seat number three, established for residents of Brunswick County by this section, shall be the seat currently held by Judge Warren. (4) Seat number four, established for residents of Columbus County by this section, shall be the seat currently held by Judge Jolly. (5) Seat number five, established for residents of Columbus County by this section, shall be the seat currently held by Judge Tyler. (6) Seat number six, established for residents of Bladen County by this section, shall be the seat currently held by Judge Ussery. (7) Seat number seven, established for residents of Brunswick County by this section, shall be the seat created on January 1, 2023. (b3) The qualified voters of District Court District 32 shall elect all five judges established for the District in subsection (a) of this section, but only persons who reside in Alexander County may be candidates for two of the judgeships, and only persons who reside in Iredell County may be candidates for three of the judgeships. (b4) The qualified voters of District Court District 33 shall elect all six judges established for the District in subsection (a) of this section, but only persons who reside in Davie County may be candidates for two of the judgeships, and only persons who reside in Davidson County may be candidates for four of the judgeships. (b5) The qualified voters of District 21 shall elect all judges established for District 21 in subsection (a) of this section, but only persons who reside in Anson County may be candidates for one of the judgeships, only persons who reside in Scotland County may be candidates for one of the judgeships, and only persons who reside in Richmond County may be candidates for the remaining judgeships. In order to implement this section the following shall apply in order to transition from at large seats to residency requirements: (1) In 2020, and every four years thereafter, the district court judgeship requiring a resident of Anson County shall be elected, and a district court judgeship requiring a resident of Richmond County shall be elected. (2) In 2022, and every four years thereafter, the district court judgeship requiring a resident of Scotland County shall be elected, and a district court judgeship requiring a resident of Richmond County shall be elected. (b6) The qualified voters of District 28 shall elect all judges established for District 28 in subsection (a) of this section, but only persons who reside in Montgomery County may be candidates for one of the judgeships, and only persons who reside in Stanly County may be candidates for the remaining judgeships. (b7) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, the qualified voters of District 36 shall elect all judges established for District 36 in subsection (a) of this section, but only persons who reside in Catawba County may be candidates for five of the judgeships, and only persons who reside in Burke or Caldwell County may be candidates for the remaining judgeships. In order to implement this section the following shall apply in order to transition from at large seats to residency requirements: (1) Transition of seats; regular elections. - For any district court judgeship that is held by a resident of Burke or Caldwell Counties on July 1, 2018, at the next general election after July 1, 2018, that district court judgeship shall be filled only by a person who is a resident of Burke or Caldwell Counties. Until such time as three district court judgeships transition under subdivision (2) of this subsection, for any district court judgeship that is held by a resident of Catawba County on July 1, 2018, that district court judgeship shall, at the next general election after July 1, 2018, be filled only by a person who is a resident of Burke, Caldwell, or Catawba County. (2) Transition of seats; vacancies. - Upon each of the first three district court judgeship vacancies occurring in District Court District 36 after July 1, 2018, due to death, resignation, removal, or retirement of a person who is a resident of Catawba County holding a judgeship on July 1, 2018, that vacancy shall be filled according to law for the remainder of the unfilled term. At the next general election held for that district court judgeship, only persons who reside in Burke or Caldwell County may be candidates for that district court judgeship. Any primary associated with that general election for that district court judgeship after the completion of the term shall also be held accordingly, in accordance with this subsection. (3) Notification to State Board. - Upon each of the first three district court judgeship vacancies occurring after July 1, 2018, in District Court District 36 due to the death, resignation, removal, or retirement of a person who is a resident of Catawba County holding a judgeship on July 1, 2018, the Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts shall provide written notice of the vacancy to the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement. During the filing period for that district court judgeship at the next general election held for that district court judgeship, the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement shall ensure that only persons who reside in Burke or Caldwell County may file as candidates for that district court judgeship in accordance [with] this subsection. (4) Final transition. - If a total of three district court judgeships have not transferred under subdivision (2) of this subsection to be eligible to be held by only persons who are residents of Burke or Caldwell Counties by January 1, 2030, a sufficient number of district court judgeships to total three district court judgeships shall be transferred to be held by only persons who are residents of Burke or Caldwell Counties on January 1, 2031, and the 2030 elections shall be held accordingly. (b8) The qualified voters of District Court District 29 shall elect all judges established for District 29 in subsection (a) of this section, but only persons who reside in Hoke County may be candidates for one of the judgeships, and only persons who reside in Hoke or Moore County may be candidates for the remaining judgeships. (c) Each county shall have the numbers of magistrates and additional seats of district court, as set forth in the following table: Magistrates Additional County Min. Seats of Court Alamance 12 Burlington Alexander 4 Alleghany 3 Anson 4 Ashe 4 Avery 3 Beaufort 4 Bertie 3 Bladen 4 Brunswick 8 Buncombe 15 Burke 5.6 Cabarrus 10 Kannapolis Caldwell 6 Camden 3 Carteret 6 Caswell 4 Catawba 10 Hickory Chatham 4 Siler City Cherokee 4 Chowan 3 Clay 3 Cleveland 8 Columbus 5 Tabor City Craven 8 Havelock Cumberland 20 Currituck 4 Dare 5 Davidson 9 Thomasville Davie 4 Duplin 5 Durham 18 Edgecombe 7 Rocky Mount Forsyth 20 Kernersville Franklin 4 Gaston 17 Gates 3 Graham 3 Granville 5 Greene 3 Guilford 32 High Point Halifax 7 Roanoke Rapids, Scotland Neck Harnett 7 Dunn Haywood 5 Canton Henderson 7 Hertford 4 Hoke 4 Hyde 3.5 Iredell 9 Mooresville Jackson 4 Johnston 10 Benson, Clayton, Selma Jones 4 Lee 5 Lenoir 7 La Grange Lincoln 6 Macon 4 Madison 3 Martin 4 McDowell 4 Mecklenburg 38.5 Mitchell 3 Montgomery 4 Moore 6 Southern Pines Nash 9 Rocky Mount New Hanover 14 Northampton 3 Onslow 11 Orange 7 Chapel Hill Pamlico 3 Pasquotank 4 Pender 5 Perquimans 3 Person 4 Pitt 13 Ayden Farmville Polk 3 Randolph 9 Liberty Richmond 5 Hamlet Robeson 12 Rockingham 7 Eden, Madison, Reidsville Rowan 9 Rutherford 6 Sampson 5 Scotland 5 Stanly 6 Stokes 4 Surry 5 Mt. Airy Swain 3 Transylvania 4 Tyrrell 3 Union 9 Vance 6 Wake 32 Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest, Wendell Warren 3 Washington 3 Watauga 4 Wayne 9 Mount Olive Wilkes 6 Wilson 7 Yadkin 4 Yancey 3 (c1) Notwithstanding the minimum staffing numbers in subsection (c) of this section, the clerk of superior court in a county, with the written or emailed consent of the chief district court judge, may hire one deputy or assistant clerk in lieu of one of the magistrate positions allocated to that county. To provide accessibility for law enforcement and citizens, the clerk of superior court's office shall provide some of the services traditionally provided by the magistrates' office during some or all of the regular courthouse hours. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall report by March 1 of each year to the chairs of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety regarding each of the following: (1) All deputy or assistant clerk positions previously filled pursuant to this subsection if the position remains filled pursuant to this subsection. (2) New deputy or assistant clerk positions filled pursuant to this subsection.
‹ Prev All North Carolina sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.