Athena Brooks
Athena Brooks was a judge for Special judge of the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division. She assumed office on May 23, 2018. She left office on December 31, 2022.
Brooks ran for re-election to the North Carolina 29B Judicial District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Brooks was appointed as a special superior court judge by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in May 2018 and confirmed by the General Assembly of North Carolina on June 28, 2018.[1][2]
The North Carolina Superior Courts are split into five divisions and 48 districts. Superior court judges rotate among the districts within their division every six months.[3] However, superior court judges are elected by voters in their district and must reside in the district in which they are elected.[4]
Brooks was previously the chief district court judge for the 29B Judicial District, serving Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties of North Carolina. She was first elected to the court in 2004 and was re-elected in 2012 and 2016. Brooks was appointed chief judge in January of 2009.[5][6]
Biography
Brooks received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and her J.D. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1991.[5][7]
Brooks began her career in 1991 as an assistant district attorney in Buncombe County.[5]
Elections
2016
North Carolina held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 15, 2016.[8] Incumbent Athena Brooks ran unopposed in the North Carolina Judicial District 29B general election for the Brooks seat.[9]
| North Carolina Judicial District 29B (Brooks Seat), General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Athena Brooks Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 55,471 |
| Total Votes | 55,471 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Unofficial election results," accessed November 8, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The North Carolina District Courts utilize partisan elections in the selection of judges. District judges serve four-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving. From 2002 through 2016, elections for district court judges were nonpartisan; however, on March 23, 2017, the North Carolina legislature changed the method of election to partisan elections by overriding Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of HB 100. This change was effective with the 2018 district court elections.[10][11][12]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[10]
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- a district resident; and
- under the age of 72 (retirement at 72 is mandatory).
2012
- See also: North Carolina judicial elections, 2012
Brooks was re-elected to the 29B Judicial District without opposition on November 6, 2012.[13][14]
Judicial candidate survey
The North Carolina Bar Association asked its members to rank incumbent judges with terms ending in 2012 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being "excellent." Below are Brooks' ratings in five categories and overall:
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ NC Governor Roy Cooper, "Gov. Cooper Nominates Special Superior Court Judges," May 23, 2018
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "House Joint Resolution 1096," accessed July 9, 2018
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "North Carolina Superior Court: About," accessed October 9, 2019
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Court Officials: Superior Court Judges," accessed October 9, 2019
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 VERVE Magazine, "Tell it to the Judge," July 20, 2009
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections: Lists of Judges and Term Expiration Dates Scroll to p.14
- ↑ Martindale, "Judge Profile: Athena F. Brooks"
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Election Calendar," accessed December 23, 2015
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Official candidate list," accessed December 23, 2015
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: North Carolina," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ The News & Observer, "Veto override means voters will know judges’ party affiliations," March 23, 2017
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "House Bill 100," accessed May 5, 2017
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections: Official 2012 General Election Results
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate Filing List," 2012 Scroll to p.62
- ↑ NC Bar Association: Judicial Performance Evaluation Survey, January 2012 Scroll to p.16
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina
State courts:
Supreme Court of North Carolina • North Carolina Court of Appeals • North Carolina Superior Courts • North Carolina District Courts
State resources:
Courts in North Carolina • North Carolina judicial elections • Judicial selection in North Carolina
