The 2026 Appropriations Act created a new district court district, effective January 1, 2027, by splitting current District 5, a four-county district consisting of Duplin, Jones, Onslow, and Sampson Counties, into Districts 5A and 5B.

Legislative authority to redraw districts. The North Carolina Constitution grants the General Assembly authority to divide the state into a convenient number of judicial districts. N.C. Const. Art. IV, Sec. 9 (so providing for superior court districts), Sec. 10 (so providing for district court districts). The General Assembly last exercised this authority in 2024 with respect to superior court districts. See S.L. 2024-57 (discussed here). Maps of superior and district court districts are available here.

2026 amendments. S.L. 2026-41 amends G.S. 7A-133(a) to create new District 5A, consisting of four judges and comprised of three counties, Duplin, Jones and Sampson, and new District 5B, consisting of six judges and comprised of one county, Onslow. S.L. 2026-41, Sec. 16.2(a). These changes are effective January 1, 2027, and judicial elections held after that date must be conducted accordingly. S.L. 2026-41, Sec. 16.2(b); see also N.C. Const. Art. IV, Sec. 10 (providing that “[e]very district judge shall reside in the district for which he is elected”); G.S. 7A-140 (“Each judge shall be a resident of the district for which elected.”). Notably, it appears that four of the sitting district court judges in current District 5 reside in Duplin or Sampson, and six reside in Onslow.

Number of district court districts. Beginning January 1, 2027, there will be 42 district court districts. (For those curious about how there can be only 42 districts, when the district numbers begin with a 1 and end with a 43, and district 5 is split into two, the explanation is that there is no district court district 13 or 19). Superior Court District 5 remains unchanged and consists of the four counties contained in current District Court District 5.

New Chief District Court Judge. G.S. 7A-141 provides that when more than one judge is authorized in a district, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court must designate one of the judges as chief district court judge. You can read more here about the responsibilities of that position.

Judge James Moore (a resident of Onslow County) is the chief district court judge for current District 5. He will continue to serve (at the pleasure of the Chief Justice — as is the case for all chief district court judges) as chief judge for District 5A.

Chief Justice Paul Newby has appointed Judge Mario White (a resident of Sampson County) to serve as chief district court judge for new District 5B.