In a press release issued on March 13, 2023, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for the 28th Judicial District, Alan Thornburg, announced that he will, upon the retirement of the current Clerk of Superior Court on March 31, 2023, appoint Jean Marie Christy to the position of Clerk of Superior Court. Ms. Christy currently serves as Assistant Public Defender in Buncombe County. She is a native of Buncombe County, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law. Judge Thornburg stated, “Ms. Christy is a respected attorney, works hard to ensure access to our justice system for all citizens, engages technology and prioritizes efficiency. Her talents are well-suited to ushering the Clerk’s office into the future and overseeing the transition to ECourts, the North Carolina Court System’s new online document preparation tool.”
Assistant Clerk of Superior Court, Ryan Stone, previously agreed to be appointed as the next Clerk of Superior Court upon the retirement of the current Clerk but Stone subsequently decided to remain in his position as Assistant Clerk.
Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute Section 7A-100(a), “[i]f the office of clerk of superior court becomes vacant otherwise than by the expiration of the term . . . the senior regular resident superior court judge for the county shall fill the vacancy by appointment until an election can be regularly held.”