One justice of the
North Carolina Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists ...
and three judges of the
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. The Court of Appeals was created ...
were elected by
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
voters on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the elections for
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
and other offices. North Carolina judicial elections are non-partisan. Terms for seats on each court are eight years. In three of the four races, incumbents were re-elected to their seats, but incumbent Court of Appeals Judge
Cressie Thigpen
Cressie H. Thigpen, Jr. is a North Carolina lawyer and jurist who served on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Early life and education
Thigpen was born August 12, 1946. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from North ...
(who had never been elected but rather was appointed to fill a vacancy on the court) was defeated by
Chris Dillon
Robert Christopher "Chris" Dillon (born 1965) is a North Carolina attorney and judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Dillon won election to the appellate court in a North Carolina judicial elections, 2012, statewide race on Nov. 6, 2012, ...
.
Supreme Court
Associate Justice
Paul Martin Newby
Paul Martin Newby (born May 5, 1955) is an American judge, who was first elected to a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2004. He was elected Chief Justice in 2020.
Early life and education
Newby was born in Asheboro, North Carolina. H ...
ran for re-election. N.C. Court of Appeals Judge
Sam J. Ervin IV challenged Newby in the general election.
Polling
Results
Newby won his second eight-year term on the North Carolina Supreme Court by taking 51.9 percent of the vote and defeating Ervin.
Justice at Stake
Justice at Stake was a judicial advocacy organization active in the United States from 2000 to 2017. The group advocated for an end to judicial elections, and for stricter regulations regarding campaign finance for state-level judicial races. Geor ...
estimated that total spending by Newby, Ervin, and outside groups in this contest surpassed $4.4 million, breaking North Carolina records for spending in judicial elections. One group,
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity (AFP), founded in 2004, is a libertarian conservative political advocacy group in the United States funded by Charles Koch and formerly his brother David. As the Koch brothers' primary political advocacy group, it is one ...
, spent $250,000 in support of Newby, more than the group had ever spent on any judicial election.
Court of Appeals (Bryant seat)
Judge
Wanda G. Bryant
Wanda G. Bryant (born June 26, 1956) is an American judge, who retired as an associate judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals at the end of 2020.
Born in Southport, North Carolina, Bryant earned an undergraduate degree in history and com ...
was the incumbent and ran for re-election. She was challenged by District Court Judge Marty McGee. Bryant won re-election with 56.5 percent of the vote.
Court of Appeals (McGee seat)
Judge
Linda McGee
Linda M. McGee (born September 20, 1949) is an American judge, who retired as the Chief Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals at the end of 2020. McGee retired as the "longest serving Court of Appeals judge in state history."
Born in Mari ...
ran for re-election to a third full term. She was challenged by attorney David S. Robinson. McGee won re-election with 61.2 percent of the vote.
Court of Appeals (Thigpen seat)
Judge
Cressie Thigpen
Cressie H. Thigpen, Jr. is a North Carolina lawyer and jurist who served on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Early life and education
Thigpen was born August 12, 1946. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from North ...
, who was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by former Judge
Barbara Jackson
Barbara Jackson (born December 25, 1961) is an American attorney and jurist who was elected in 2010 to an eight-year term on the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Jackson moved to Wake County at the age of 3 and graduated Athens Drive High School in ...
's election to the Supreme Court, ran for a full term. He was challenged by attorney/bank executive
Chris Dillon
Robert Christopher "Chris" Dillon (born 1965) is a North Carolina attorney and judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Dillon won election to the appellate court in a North Carolina judicial elections, 2012, statewide race on Nov. 6, 2012, ...
, who ran for a seat on the Court of Appeals in
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
. Dillon defeated Thigpen and won the seat with 52.8 percent of the vote.
State of North Carolina Nov. 6, 2012 General Election
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References
State Board of Elections: Lists of Judges and Term Expiration Dates
WRAL/Associated Press: A quick glance at NC appeals courts candidates
External links
Judge Wanda Bryant campaign site
Judge Marty McGee campaign site
Judge Linda McGee campaign site
Judge Cressie Thigpen campaign site
Justice Paul Newby campaign site
{{North Carolina judicial elections
Judicial
The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudication, adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and app ...
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...