North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge

Seat 12

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Tom Murry

Republican Tom Murry is running for seat 12 on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Murry is a veteran, attorney and state prosecutor. Murry is an Arkansas native and received his law degree from Campbell University and his Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas. He has previously served on the state House of Representatives representing District 41 from 2011 to 2015.

Murry is running as a self-proclaimed “common sense candidate,” and his philosophy for the judiciary is “believing in the original meaning of the Constitution and that the plain meaning of words should guide Constitutional and statutory interpretation.”

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Carolyn Jennings Thompson

Democrat Carolyn Jennings Thompson is running for seat 12 on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She received her bachelor’s degree from Hampton University and her J.D. at North Carolina Central University. Thompson is a previous District Court judge, Superior Court judge and Deputy Commissioner for the Industrial Commission. She is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, Equality North Carolina, Pro-Choice North Carolina and Gov. Roy Cooper.

She “believes I can make a difference in the service of equal justice as required by our laws and Constitution. True justice is independent of party affiliation, divisive ideologies, and social differences. I have taken and believe in the oath to consistently uphold our laws and Constitution,” according to her biography on her campaign website.

Seat 14

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Valerie Zachary

Republican Valerie Zachary, a republican, is running to be reelected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Zachary has served in this position since being appointed by former Gov. Pat McCrory and then was elected for a full 8-year term in 2016. She graduated from Harvard Law School and Michigan State University as an undergraduate.

On her website, Zachary wrote, “My record is one of consistently applying the constitution to the facts of a case and not one of judicial activism from the bench. I look forward to campaigning across our great state and reconnecting with the wonderful people of North Carolina.”

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Ed Eldred

Democrat Ed Eldred is running for seat 14 on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. He received both his Bachelor's Degree and J.D. at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and serves as an attorney at Parry Law in Chapel Hill. Eldred is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, Equality North Carolina, Pro-Choice North Carolina and Gov. Roy Cooper.

His platform is based on equality, and he believes that “as a Democrat vying for this crucial position, Ed will preserve the rights of all North Carolinians and restore balance to the Court.” Information on Eldred was found on his campaign website.

Seat 15

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Chris Freeman

Republican Chris Freeman is running for seat 15 on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Freeman has served for 17 years as district court judge for Rockingham and Caswell counties. Prior, he was assistant district attorney for eight years. Freeman has also served in the U.S. Air Force and now is a reservist in the JAG Corps.

Freeham wants to serve North Carolina with his “conservative judicial philosophy,” according to his website.

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Martin Moore

Democrat Martin Moore is running for seat 15 on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Moore graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill for both his bachelor's degree and law degree and was formerly a public defender. He now runs a mediation and appellate law practice. Moore has been endorsed by organizations including the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood and the Black Political Caucus of Cabarrus County. He has served as a county commissioner for Buncombe County since 2022.

He “believes local leadership must prioritize the health, safety and quality of life of Buncombe residents while making sustainable choices for our community,” according to hisbiography on the commissioners website.