Before election day, The Chronicle hopes to explain who's who on the ballot to supplement continuing coverage of the presidential contest. Part four of this series includes the North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice and judges on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Also, check out our guide to voting on Duke's campus. A North Carolina sample ballot listing all the races to be voted on by campus residents is available below.
North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice
The six associate justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court serve with the chief justice on the highest ranking court in North Carolina. The North Carolina Supreme Court has the final say in matters of state law. Associate justices serve eight-year terms with mandatory retirement after turning 72 years old.
Incumbent: Robert H. Edmunds
- Would serve only four years of a third term due to the mandatory retirement age.
- Currently serving his second eight-year term on the Court.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
- Appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina from 1986 to 1993.
Challenger: Michael R. Morgan
- Currently serving in his 11th year as a superior court judge.
- Graduated with a B.A. from Duke University and J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law.
- Served as a district court judge from 1994 to 2004.
North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge - Stephens seat
The 15 judges on the North Carolina Court of Appeals hear cases in panels of three judges per case. As an intermediate appellate court, the Court of Appeals is the next stop for those challenging a ruling from a trial court, district court or superior court. Judges serve eight-year terms with mandatory retirement after turning 72 years old.
Note: Although judicial elections in North Carolina are technically nonpartisan, a law signed in October 2015 now mandates that the party affiliations of Appeals Court candidates be listed on the ballot.
Incumbent: Linda Stephens (D)
- Serving in her first full term on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
- First woman to serve as president of the North Carolina Association for Defense Attorneys.
- Is against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Republican challenger: Phil Berger, Jr.
- Currently in his first year as a state administrative law judge.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law.
- Has served as district attorney of Rockingham County from 2007 to the present.
North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge - Geer seat
Note: Judge Martha Geer stepped down in May, and her seat is now up for election.
Republican: Hunter Murphy
- Currently serves as a trial attorney in North Carolina.
- Graduated with a J.D. from University of the Pacific.
- On his judicial philosophy: “Activist judges erode the public’s trust. I pledge to be a non-activist judge, as I believe a judge should never have a political or personal agenda.”
Democrat: Margaret Eagles
- Currently serves as a district court judge in Wayne County.
- Graduated with a J.D. from Campbell University School of Law.
- Daughter of the chief judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and granddaughter of the chief judge of the Sixth U.S. Court of Appeals.
- Endorsed by Geer.
Democrat: Donald Ray Buie
- Has served as an attorney in North Carolina since 1981.
- Focuses on automotive accidents, wrongful death and personal injury cases.
- Graduated with a J.D. from North Carolina Central University.
North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge - Hunter seat
Incumbent: Bob Hunter (R)
- Currently serving first term on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
- Opposes the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, stating that there is no “right to immoral conduct.”
Democratic challenger: Abe Jones
- Currently involved in private practice of law and is a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law.
- Graduated with a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
- Served as a Wake County superior court judge for 17 years.
- In a 2011 survey on judges, members of the North Carolina Bar Association gave Jones an average of 3.3, lower than his opponent in the 2012 election. Jones claimed these scores were compiled in an “inaccurate, inadequate and corrupt” fashion.
North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge - Dietz seat
Incumbent: Richard Dietz (R)
- Appointed by Governor Pat McCrory to fill empty seat on Court of Appeals in 2014.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law.
- Is the only state appellate judge to have argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Actively involved in pro bono legal work, providing services to low-income families and indigent criminal defendants.
Democratic challenger: Vince Rozier
- Has served as Wake County district court judge since 2006.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the North Carolina Central University School of Law.
- Identifies as "politically moderate."
- Feels that judicial elections in North Carolina could be improved by better educating voters on candidates.
North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge - Zachary seat
Incumbent: Valerie Zachary (R)
- Appointed by McCrory to fill empty seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2015.
- Graduated with a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
- Previously ran for election to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2014 but was defeated.
Democratic challenger: Rickye McKoy-Mitchell
- Has served as Mecklenburg County District Court Judge since 1998.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the University of North Carolina Law School.
- Emphasized need for trial court judge experience in appellate courts.
North Carolina District Court Judge for District 14
District court judges hear civil cases involving divorce, custody and child support in addition to non-felony criminal cases, including misdemeanors and infractions. Located in each North Carolina county, district courts also hear cases involving delinquent children under the age of 16 and neglected children under 18. District Court Judges serve four-year terms.
Incumbent: William A. Marsh III
- Appointed by former Governor Michael Easley to serve as Durham County district court judge in 2007.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
- Filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in late 2012.
- Admitted to alcoholism and recovery in 2015.
Challenger: Shamieka LaCher Rhinehart
- Has served as assistant district attorney in Durham County since 2005 and supervisor of Durham's district court since 2012.
- Graduated with a J.D. from the North Carolina Central University School of Law.
- Supports the establishment of a mental health court in Durham County.
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor
The supervisors of the Soil and Water Conservation District promote the natural resources present in Durham County by educating citizens on the responsible usage of resources and by creating programs to address environmental issues.
Incumbent: Danielle Adams
- Has served as Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor since 2008.
- Graduated from Appalachian State University with a master’s degree in political science.
- Wants to expand programs to protect water quality by reducing harmful pesticides and toxins in the water supply.
Challenger: Michael Van Sickle
- Lieutenant for the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
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