An Historic Quarter at the Supreme Court of North Carolina

By Gregg F. Schwitzgebel III

The members of the NCBA Appellate Practice Section respectfully recognize and honor that the year 2019 marks a crescendo in a highly significant commemorative period for the North Carolina Judicial System, with 2016-2019 milestones including the 50th anniversaries of the unified court system (2016), the District Court (2016), the North Carolina Court of Appeals (2017), and the Administrative Office of the Courts (2016); the 240th anniversary of the Superior Court (2017); and this year’s 200th anniversary of the Supreme Court of North Carolina (2019).

The first quarter of 2019 at the Supreme Court of North Carolina was indeed a historic one of its own right.  On January 7, 2019, the Supreme Court of North Carolina held a Bicentennial Ceremonial Session, and both videos of the special session and a program can be found here.

Later in January, Chief Justice Mark Martin, who was invested as North Carolina’s 28th Chief Justice in 2015, stepped down after 26 years of dedicated judicial service.

On February 12, 2019, Associate Justice Cheri Beasley was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, and on March 7, 2019 Chief Justice Beasley’s Investiture was held.

Two new Associate Justices joined the Supreme Court of North Carolina during this period, as well. Anita Earls took the oath of office as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina on January 3, 2019.  On March 11, 2019, North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Mark Davis was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, with an April 3, 2019 Investiture.

And, finally, on the note of history, we would be remiss if we did not mention that Judge Robert N. “Bob” Hunter, Jr., recently retired after ten years of service on the Supreme Court of North Carolina and North Carolina Court of Appeals.  Please recall that Judge Hunter played an instrumental role in organizing events pertaining to the 150th Anniversary of the 1868 N.C. Constitution last autumn, a synopsis of which can be found here.  The evening featured engaging and enlightening lectures by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Paul Newby and Professor John Orth, William Rand Kenan Jr. Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Please tentatively mark your calendar and save the date of Thursday evening, October 10, 2019, for a wonderful gala celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Supreme Court of North Carolina.  More information to come as the spring progresses.