Chief Judges of the NC Supreme Court

William Turner Faircloth

Faircloth, William

Born: 8 Jan 1829, Edgecombe Co., NC Died: 29 Dec 1900, Goldsboro, NC Buried: Fairview Cemtery, LaGrange, NC Education: Wake Forest College, Judge Richmond Pearson, Richmond Hill Law School Admitted: 1 Jan 1856 State Convention: 1865 House of Commons: 1865 State Convention: 1875 Solicitor: 1856 App’t to Supreme Court: Nov 1875 Term expired: 1 Jan 1879 Elected Chief Justice: Nov 1894 Died in office: 30 Dec 1900 […]

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James G. Exum

Exum, James G.

Born: 14 Sept. 1935, Snow Hill, NC Living Education: UNC Chapel Hill, New York University, School of Law, Admitted: 1960 NC House: 1967-1969 App’t Superior Court: 1969-1974 Elected Supreme Court: 1974 Retired: 1986 Elected Chief Justice: 26 Nov 1986 Retired: 31 Dec 1994 Preceded by: Associate Justice: Carlisle Higgens Chief Justice: Rhoda Billings Succeeded by: Associate Justice: Robert Browning Chief Justice: Burley Mitchell

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William Augustus Devin

Devin, William

Born: 12 July 1871, Granville Co., NC Died: 18 Feb 1959, Oxford, NC Buried: Elwood Cemetery, Oxford, NC Education: Horner Military School,      Wake Forest College, UNC Law School Read Law: Admitted: 1898 NC House: 1911, 1913 Elected Superior Court: 1913, 1921, 1929 App’t Supreme Court: 1935 Elected to Supreme Court: 1936, 1944 App’t Chief Justice: 1951 Elected Chief Justice: 14 Sep 1951 Retired: 30 Jan

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Emery Byrd Denny

Denny, Emery B.

Born: 23 Nov 1892, Surry Co., NC Died: 24 April 1973 Buried: Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, N C Education: Gilliam’s Academy, UNC Law School Read Law: Admitted: 1919 App’t to Supreme Court: 1942 Elected to Supeme Court: 1942, 1950, 1958 App’t Chief Justice: 1962 Elected Chief Justice: 9 Mar 1962 Retired: 4 Feb 1966 Preceded by: Associate Justice: Heriot Clarkson Chief Justice: J. Wallace Winborne Succeeded

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Walter McKenzie Clark

Clark, Walter

Born: 19 Aug 1846, Prospect Hill Plantation, Halifax Co., NC Died: 1924 Buried: Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, NC Education: Belmont School, Tew’s Military Academy,      UNC,      Columbia Law School Read Law: Admitted: 1867 App’t to Superior Ct: 15 Apr 1885 App’t to Supreme Ct: 16 Nov 1889 Elected to Supreme Ct: 1890, 1910, 1918 Elected Chief Justice: 1903 Re-elected: 1910, 1918 Died in office: 19 May 1924

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Joseph Branch

Branch, Joseph

Born: 5 Jul 1915, Enfield, NC Died: 18 Feb 1991 Buried: Elmwood Cemetery, Enfield, NC Education: Wake Forest College, Wake Forest Law School Admitted: unknown NC House: 1947, 1949, 1951, 1953 App’t to Supreme Court: 1966 Elected to Supreme Court: 1 Aug 1979 Retired: 1 Sep 1986 Preceded by: Associate Justice: Clifton Moore Chief Justice: Susie Sharp Succeeded by: Associate Justice: Phil Carlton Chief Justice: Rhoda

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William Haywood Bobbitt

Bobbitt, William H.

Born: 18 Oct 1900, Raleigh, NC Died: 27 Sept 1992, Raleigh, NC Buried: Elwood Cemetery, Charlotte, NC Education: UNC, UNC Law School Admitted: 1922 Elected to Superior Court: 1938, 1946 App’t to Supreme Court: 1954 Elected to Supreme Court: 1954, 1962 App’t Chief Justice: 13 Nov 1969 Elected Chief Justice: 1970 Retired: 1974 Preceded by: Associate Justice: M. V. Barnhill Chief Justice: R. Hunt Parker Succeeded by:

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Rhoda Bryan Billings

Billings, Rhoda

Born: 30 Sept 1937, Wilkesboro, NC Living Education: Berea College, Wake Forest Law School Admitted: 1966 Elected to District Court: 1968 App’t Supreme Court: 1985 App’t Chief Justice: 3 Sep 1986 Defeated in Election: 25 Nov 1986 Preceded by: Associate Justice: Earl Vaughn Chief Justice: Joseph Branch Succeeded by: Associate Justice: Francis I. Parker Chief Justice: James G. Exum

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Maurice Victor Barnhill

Barnhill, Victor

Born: 5 Dec 1887, Halifax Co., NC Died: 12 Oct 1963, Raleigh, NC Buried: Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, NC Education: Elm City Academy, UNC Law School Read Law: Admitted: 1909 NC House: 1921 App’t to Superior Court: 1924 Elected to Superior Court: 1924, 1930 App’t to Supreme Court: 1937 Elected to Supreme Court: 1938, 1936 App’t Chief Justice: 1 Feb 1954 Elected Chief Justice: 1 Feb 1954

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