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Emily Cowan (North Carolina)
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Emily Cowan is a district court judge for the 29B Judicial District, serving Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties in North Carolina. She was first elected to this position on November 6, 2012, and re-elected on November 8, 2016.[1][2]
Education
Cowan received her B.A. from The College of William and Mary in 2000 and her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2003.[3]
Career
- 2013-2016: District Court Judge, 29B Judicial District
- 2010-2012: Attorney in private practice
- 2010-2012: Guardian Ad Litem Attorney Advocate, Polk and Transylvania counties
- 2005-2010: Assistant District Attorney, 29B Judicial District
- 2004-2005: Assistant District Attorney, 4th Judicial District[3]
Elections
2016
North Carolina held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 15, 2016.[4] Incumbent Emily Cowan ran unopposed in the North Carolina Judicial District 29B general election for the Cowan seat.[5]
| North Carolina Judicial District 29B (Cowan Seat), General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Emily Cowan Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 55,273 |
| Total Votes | 55,273 | |
| 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.[6][7][8]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[6]
- 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
Cowan defeated William Cathey on November 6, 2012, receiving 65.37 percent of the vote.[1][2]
Judicial candidate survey
The North Carolina Bar Association asked its members to rank judicial candidates on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being "excellent." Below are Cowan's ratings in five categories and overall:
- Overall: 3.62
- Integrity & Fairness: 3.57
- Legal Ability: 3.64
- Professionalism: 3.73
- Communication: 3.87
- Administrative Skills: 3.84[9]
See also
External links
- The North Carolina Court System, "Henderson County - District 29B"
- The North Carolina Court System, "Polk County - District 29B"
- The North Carolina Court System, "Transylvania County - District 29B"
- Emily Cowan For District Court Judge, Campaign Website
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate Filing List," 2012 Scroll to p.62
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections: Official 2012 General Election Results
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 North Carolina Bar Association, "Emily Cowan"
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 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 Bar Association, "Voter Guide for Non-Incumbents," 2012 Scroll to page 10
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
