List of Justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court

Following is a list of Justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Current Justices

The Court's current (January 2015) members are:

Name	Born	Joined	Term Ends[1]	Mandatory Retirement[2]	Law School Attended
Mark Martin	1963	1999	2022	April 29, 2035	University of North Carolina School of Law
Cheri Beasley	1966	2013	2022	Feb. 14, 2038	University of Tennessee College of Law
Robert H. Edmunds, Jr.	1949	2001	2016	April 17, 2021	University of North Carolina School of Law
Sam J. Ervin, IV	1955	2015	2022	November 18, 2027	Harvard School of Law
Robin E. Hudson	1952	2007	2022	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
Paul Martin Newby	1955	2004	2020	May 5, 2027	University of North Carolina School of Law

Former Justices

Judge	Began active service	Ended active service	Notes
Adams, William J.William J. Adams	1921	1934	.
Allen, William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds Allen	1903	1926	.
Ashe, Thomas SamuelThomas Samuel Ashe	1878	1887	.
Avery, Alphonso C.Alphonso C. Avery	1889	1897	.
Barnhill, Maurice VictorMaurice Victor Barnhill	1937	1956	Chief Justice (1954-1956)
Battle, William HornWilliam Horn Battle	1848 1852	1848 1868	.
Billings, RhodaRhoda Billings	1985	1986	Chief Justice (1986)
Bobbitt, William H.William H. Bobbitt	1954	1974	Chief Justice (1969-1974)
Boyden, NathanielNathaniel Boyden	1872	1873	.
Brady, Edward ThomasEdward Thomas Brady	2003	2010	.
Branch, JosephJoseph Branch	1966	1986	Chief Justice (1979-1986)
Britt, David M.David M. Britt	1978	1982	.
Brock, Walter E.Walter E. Brock	1979	1980	.
Brogden, W. J.W. J. Brogden	1926	1935	.
Brown, George H.George H. Brown	1905	1920	.
Burwell, ArmisteadArmistead Burwell	1892	1894	.
Butterfield, G. K.G. K. Butterfield	2001	2002	.
Bynum, William P.William P. Bynum	1873	1909	.
Carlton, J. PhilJ. Phil Carlton	1979	1983	.
Clark, WalterWalter Clark	1889	1924	Chief Justice (1903-1924)
Clarkson, HeriotHeriot Clarkson	1923	1942	.
Connor, Henry G.Henry G. Connor	1903	1909	.
Connor, George WhitfieldGeorge Whitfield Connor	1903	1909	.
Cooke, Charles A.Charles A. Cooke	1901	1903	.
Copeland, J. WilliamJ. William Copeland	1975	1985	.
Daniel, Joseph J.Joseph J. Daniel	1832	1848	.
Davis, Joseph J.Joseph J. Davis	1887	1892	.
Denny, Emery B.Emery B. Denny	1942	1966	Chief Justice (1962-1966)
Devin, William A.William A. Devin	1935	1954	Chief Justice (1951-1954)
Dick, Robert P.Robert P. Dick	1868	1872	.
Dillard, John H.John H. Dillard	1878	1881	.
Douglas, Robert M.Robert M. Douglas	1896	1904	.
Ervin, SamSam Ervin	1948	1954	.
Exum, James G.James G. Exum	1974	1995	Chief Justice (1986-1995)
Faircloth, William T.William T. Faircloth	1895	1901	Chief Justice (1895-1901)
Freeman, FranklinFranklin Freeman	2000	2000	.
Frye, HenryHenry Frye	1983	2001	Chief Justice (1999-2001)
Furches, David M.David M. Furches	1894	1903	Chief Justice (1901-1903)
Gaston, WilliamWilliam Gaston	1833	1844	.
Hall, JohnJohn Hall	1819	1832	.
Henderson, LeonardLeonard Henderson	1818	1833	Chief Justice (1829–1833)
Higgins, Carlisle W.Carlisle W. Higgins	1954	1974	.
Hoke, William A.William A. Hoke	1904	1925	Chief Justice (1924-1925)
Hunter, Jr., Robert N.Robert N. Hunter, Jr.	2014	2014	.
Huskins, J. FrankJ. Frank Huskins	1968	1982	.
Johnson, Jr., Jefferson D.Jefferson D. Johnson, Jr.	1950	1960	.
Lake, I. BeverlyI. Beverly Lake	1985 1992 1994	1990 1992 2006	Chief Justice (2001-2006)
Lake, Sr., I. BeverlyI. Beverly Lake, Sr.	1965	1978	.
MacRae, James C.James C. MacRae	1892	1895	.
Manly, Matthias EvansMatthias Evans Manly	1860	1865	.
Manning, James S.James S. Manning	1909	1911	.
Martin, Harry C.Harry C. Martin	1982	1992	.
Merrimon, Augustus SummerfieldAugustus Summerfield Merrimon	1883	1892	Chief Justice (1889-1892)
Meyer, Louis B.Louis B. Meyer	1981	1994	.
Mitchell, BurleyBurley Mitchell	1982	1999	Chief Justice (1995-1999)
Montgomery, Walter A.Walter A. Montgomery	1894	1905	.
Moore, Dan K.Dan K. Moore	1969	1978
Nash, FrederickFrederick Nash	1844	1858	Chief Justice (1852-1858)
Orr, Robert F.Robert F. Orr	1994	2004	.
Parker, R. HuntR. Hunt Parker	1952	1969	Chief Justice (1966-1969)
Parker, SarahSarah Parker	1993	2014	Chief Justice (2006-2014)
Pearson, Richmond MumfordRichmond Mumford Pearson	1848	1878	Chief Justice (1858–1878); First Chief Justice elected by the people (in the 1868 election).
Reade, Edwin GodwinEdwin Godwin Reade	1868	1879	.
Rodman, William B.William B. Rodman	1868	1879	.
Rodman, Jr., William B.William B. Rodman, Jr.	1956	1965	.
Ruffin, ThomasThomas Ruffin	1829 1858	1852 1859	Chief Justice (1833-1852)
Ruffin, Jr., ThomasThomas Ruffin, Jr.	1881	1883	.
Schenck, MichaelMichael Schenck	1934	1948	.
Seawell, Aaron A. F.Aaron A. F. Seawell	1938	1950	.
Settle, ThomasThomas Settle	1868	1871	.
Sharp, SusieSusie Sharp	1962	1979	Chief Justice (1975-1979)
Shepherd, James E.James E. Shepherd	1888	1895	Chief Justice (1893-1895)
Smith, William Nathan HarrellWilliam Nathan Harrell Smith	1878	1889	Chief Justice (1878-1889)
Stacy, Walter P.Walter P. Stacy	1925	1951	Chief Justice (1925-1951)
Taylor, John LouisJohn Louis Taylor	1818	1829	First Chief Justice (1818-1829)
Timmons-Goodson, PatriciaPatricia Timmons-Goodson	2006	2011
Toomer, John D.John D. Toomer	1829	1829	.
Valentine, Sr., Itimous T.Itimous T. Valentine, Sr.	1951	1952	.
Varser, Lycurgus R.Lycurgus R. Varser	1985	1985	.
Vaughn, Earl W.Earl W. Vaughn	1985	1985	.
Wainwright, Jr., George L.George L. Wainwright, Jr.	1998	2006	.
Walker, Platt D.Platt D. Walker	1903	1926	.
Webb, JohnJohn Webb	1986	1998	.
Whichard, WillisWillis Whichard	1986	1998	.
Winborne, J. WallaceJ. Wallace Winborne	1937	1962	Chief Justice (1956-1962)
Wynn, Jr., James A.James A. Wynn, Jr.	1998	1998	.

References

1. Term ends Dec. 31 of the year listed.
2. North Carolina judges must retire at age 72 if they are still in office.

External links

• North Carolina Supreme Court Historical Society page on Justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court