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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.
      Address: New Hanover County Judicial Building
      W. Allen Cobb Judicial Annex, Suite 341,
      316 Princess Street,
      Wilmington, NC 28401

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

Special Superior Court Judges
      Ebern T. Watson
      Address: W. Allen Cobb Judicial Annex (same as above)

      Gary E. Trawick
      Address: Post Office Box 310, Burgaw, NC 28425


Superior Court Trial Court Coordinator
      Valerie Lee Jordan
      Email: Valerie.Jordan@nccourts.org
      Office: (910) 772-6616
      Fax: (910) 772-6617

 
  
 
   
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