Page Vernon leaves district court

Orange and Chatham County courts will deal with a vacancy for several weeks after the resignation of District Court Judge Page Vernon.

Vernon resigned before her term was over due to health reasons, said Thomas Thornburg, senior associate dean of UNC’s School of Government.

The district bar heard of Vernon’s resignation Oct. 7, said the bar’s President Gordon Brown.

Brown said Vernon will officially leave office on Monday.

To fill Vernon’s position the district will hold a candidate forum where bar members will nominate potential replacements.

The forum is scheduled to take place on Nov. 9th.

“I think everyone will certainly miss Judge Vernon,” Brown said. “She set a very high bar for excellence on the bench and conscientiousness.”

Members of the bar interested in filling the position may contact Brown until Nov. 4 to speak at the candidates forum.

“It will be a meeting that will give every candidate an opportunity to present to the District 15B Bar their interest, a little bit about their backgrounds and what they will bring to the table,” Brown said.

Ballots will be distributed to members during the meeting to vote on three candidates.

The bar will tabulate the numbers and submit the three candidates with the highest number of votes to the governor by the following morning, Brown said.

Nominees must be submitted to the governor up to 30 days after the initial vacancy date, said Director of the State Board of Elections Johnnie McClean.

The governor then has 60 days to appoint someone to the position, she said.

“I think you’re looking at about January,” McClean said.

Brown said they are trying to speed the process in hopes the new appointee can attend district court training in December.

Since Vernon’s resignation takes effect Oct. 31, the district will be inevitably be left one judge short during the election process.

Jim Drennan, director of the North Carolina Judicial College, said the court system will have to adapt to the change.

“I suspect the chief district judge, who manages the system, will have to make some adjustments,” he said.

When understaffed, district courts will often double up on court sessions or seek help from judges available from other districts.

Hiring retired judges on daily pay is an option, but that can be difficult with a tight budget, he said.

“They may just have to do with one short for a while,” Drennan said.

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