The North Carolina Court System Home
The North Carolina Court System The North Carolina Court System
  Judicial Jobs Judicial Directory Judicial Forms Frequently Asked Questions Contact Us Search Search space
 
Menu Citizens   New Hanover County - District 5 Court Picture
Menu Courts
Menu Employees
Appellate DivisionTrial DivisionCourt Resources & ServicesOther Court Officials
 Court Picture
   County / New Hanover / Staff / Superior Court Judges  Print  Court Picture
 
Image StarAbout
Image StarSuperior Court Judges
Image StarDistrict Court Judges
Image StarClerk of Court
Image StarDistrict Attorney
Image StarFamily Court Administrator
Image StarMagistrates
Image StarTrial Court Administrator
 Dotted Line
 
 
Superior Court Judges
 
Superior Court Judges are attorneys who are elected for each district in non-partisan elections for eight-year terms. Regular superior court judges must reside in the district in which they are elected, but rotate from one district to another within their division.

Special and emergency judges may also be assigned to particular judicial districts by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. The Senior Resident Superior Court Judge has the most seniority of the superior court judges in the district and is responsible for carrying out various administrative duties.

The Superior Court has jurisdiction in both civil and criminal cases. Generally, civil cases involving more than $10,000 in money and a few special categories of cases, such as those involving appeals from administrative agencies and constitutional issues, are tried in Superior Court. In criminal cases, the Superior Court has exclusive jurisdiction over all felonies and over misdemeanors appealed from a conviction in District Court.

Superior Court Judges rotate within divisions in North Carolina. There are three resident superior court judges in the Fifth District which encompasses Pender and New Hanover Counties. The three resident superior court judges are as follows:

Senior Resident Superior Court Judge
      W. Allen Cobb, Jr.

Resident Superior Court Judge
      Jay D. Hockenbury
      Phyllis M. Gorham

Special Superior Court Judges
      Gary E. Trawick
      John W. Smith

     Superior Court Judicial Assistant
           Wanda W. Poole
           Office: (910) 341-1140
           Fax: (910) 341-1150

     Mailing Address:
           New Hanover County Judicial Building
           WAC Judicial Annex; Suite 341
           316 Princess Street
           Wilmington, North Carolina 28401
 
  
 
   
Court Picture