Tom Murry, Valerie Zachary and Chris Freeman won seats to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Seat 12
According to unofficial results, Republican Tom Murry has won seat 12 on the N.C. Court of Appeals. He won 50.89 percent of the vote with 99 percent of precincts reporting, over his opponent Carolyn Jennings Thompson.
Murry previously served in the N.C. House of Representatives 41st District. He also has served as an assistant district attorney and as a Judge Advocate in the N.C. Army National Guard. As a legislator, Murry was the primary sponsor of voter ID legislation and a regulatory reform bill that eliminated over 1400 regulations.
In a previous interview with the Daily Tar Heel, Murry said the primary goal of anyone who wants to serve as a judge is to be viewed as fair. He also said that his experience as a state prosecutor is very important for the work that the appellate court does.
Seat 14
Republican Valerie Zachary won seat 14 on the N.C. Court of Appeals. She won 52.29 percent of the vote with 99 percent of precincts reporting, over her opponent Ed Eldred.
The appellate court reviews cases and proceedings occurring in trial courts. She is currently the vice president of the North Carolina Bar Association and is serving her fourth term as a commissioner on the North Carolina Sentencing Commission. She is also a member of the North Carolina Family Courts Advisory Commission. Eldred currently practices law in Orange County—he represents parents in trial courts as well.