Governor names Riggs to fill NC Supreme Court vacancy

Judge Allison Riggs of the North Carolina Court of Appeals was Supreme Court elected in the state Monday. Court. Court by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper to fill the vacancy vacated by North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Michael Morgan.

Cooper nominated Judge Carolyn Thompson as Riggs' successor on the Court of Appeals. .

"The need for fair, impartial, honest and experienced judges is more important than ever as our society and our courts face many critical issues" , Cooper said. in a press release. “I am grateful to Judges Riggs and Thompson for their willingness to serve our state's justice system in these new roles. Each of them has extensive experience and admirable careers in public service and will continue to add value, honor and integrity to the state government's justice system. "

Thompson currently serves as deputy commissioner of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Previously, he served as a district judge and superior court judge in District 9, presiding over civil court criminal, family, juvenile and psychiatric matters.

Morgan, after announcing his retirement last month, is a possible candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2024. the Supreme Court term lasts only eight years until the end of 2024. He announced in May that he did not intend to run for re-election.

Cooper appointed Riggs to the appeals court in December to fill the vacancy left by Judge Richard Dietz, his predecessor and future colleague. Dietz won a seat on the Supreme Court in November.

Before serving on the appeals court, Riggs, considered a left-of-center activist, was co-counsel at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, managing director and principal agent.

The founder of this group, Anita Earls, is an associate justice of the state Supreme Court. In a January 2022 filing with the state Supreme Court, Riggs was described as a "longtime colleague, co-author and friend" of Earls.

Riggs has a lot behind him Throughout his career, he has fought election laws passed by the Republican-led General Assembly. He represented the center-left activist group Common Cause in its ongoing lawsuit challenging plans for state legislative and congressional elections. Riggs has represented plaintiffs challenging North Carolina's voter ID laws.