| North Carolina Supreme Court | |
|---|---|
Seal of the Supreme Court of North Carolina |
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| Established | 1818 |
| Jurisdiction | North Carolina , United States |
| Location | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Authorized by | North Carolina Constitution |
| Decisions are appealed to | Supreme Court of the United States |
| Judge term length | 8 years |
| Number of positions | 7 |
| Website | NCcourts.org |
| Chief Justice | |
| Currently | Sarah Parker |
| Since | January 2006 |
| Lead position ends | January 2015 |
The Supreme Court of North Carolina is the state'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 of six associate justices and one chief justice, although the number of justices has varied from time to time. The primary function of the Supreme Court is to decide questions of law that have arisen in the lower courts and before state administrative agencies.
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The first North Carolina appellate court, created in 1799, was called the Court of Conference and consisted of several Superior Court (trial) judges sitting en banc twice each year to review appeals from their own courts. In 1805 it was named the Supreme Court, and a seal and motto were to be procured.[1]
From the time the North Carolina General Assembly created the Court as a distinct body in 1818 to 1868, the members of the Court were chosen by the General Assembly and served for life, or "during good behavior." The legislature appointed John Louis Taylor, Leonard Henderson, and John Hall as the first Supreme Court judges. The three judges were allowed to select their own Chief Justice, and they chose Taylor. The Court first met on January 1, 1819.
Since the adoption of the 1868 state constitution, each justice has been elected (separately, including a distinct Chief Justice position) by the people to an eight-year term. There are no term limits. Today, these races are non-partisan.
Susie Sharp became the court's first female justice in 1962 (and later, she became its first female chief justice). In 2011, the court had a female majority for the first time.[2]
The Supreme Court is housed in the Law and Justice Building, located across from the North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh, North Carolina. The building was built in 1940 and underwent major renovations in 2005-2007. [3]
In 1975 a new seal was adopted. The old latin phrase Suum cuique was amended to Suum cuique tribuere.[4]
The Court's current (January 2011) members are:
| Name | Born | Joined | Term Ends | Mandatory Retirement[5] | Law School Attended |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Parker, Chief Justice | 1942 | 1993 | 2014 | Aug. 23, 2014 | University of North Carolina School of Law |
| Robert H. Edmunds, Jr. | 1949 | 2001 | 2016 | April 17, 2021 | University of North Carolina School of Law |
| Robin E. Hudson | 1952 | 2007 | 2014 | Feb. 20, 2024 | University of North Carolina School of Law |
| Barbara Jackson | 1961 | 2011 | 2018 | Dec. 25, 2033 | University of North Carolina School of Law |
| Mark Martin | 1963 | 1999 | 2014 | April 29, 2035 | University of North Carolina School of Law |
| Paul Martin Newby | 1955 | 2004 | 2012 | May 5, 2027 | University of North Carolina School of Law |
| Patricia Timmons-Goodson | 1954 | 2006 | 2014 | Sept. 18, 2026 | University of North Carolina School of Law |
Justices are listed roughly in reverse chronological order. Note that dates in parentheses are for service as Chief Justice only. Many Chief Justices have also served as associate justices.
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