Judge Heath unopposed in re-election bid
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 1, 2018 3:05 AM
District Court Judge Beth Heath of Kinston is unopposed in her re-election bid for the 8th Judicial District seat.
Filing for judicial offices to be decided in the Nov. 6 general election ended at noon Friday.
There are several statewide judicial races on the ballot, but Heath's is the only local one.
In 2002, Heath, a Democrat, became the first woman elected to the 8th Judicial District bench. She was re-elected in 2006, 2010 and 2014.
Before becoming a judge, Heath practiced as an attorney with Wallace, Morris & Barwick in Kinston.
She was certified as and acted as a family law mediator. Outside the courtroom, Heath has served as secretary-treasurer, vice president and president of the 8th Judicial District Bar.
She is a graduate of Campbell University, The Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell, where she was editor-in-chief of the Campbell Law Review.
She is a magna cum laude graduate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Heath is a Kinston High School graduate.
There are two three-way races and one two-way race for seats on the N.C. Court of Appeals.
Republicans Jefferson G. Griffin and Sandra Alice Ray and Democrat Tobias "Toby" Hampson are competing for the seat now held by Judge Ann Calabria who did not seek re-election.
Democrat Allegra Katherine Collins, Republican Chuck Kitchen and Libertarian Michael Monaco Sr. are running for the seat now held by Judge Rick Elmore, who did not seek re-election.
Incumbent Judge John Arrowood, a Democrat, is facing a challenge from Andrew T. Heath, a Republican.
N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Barbara Jackson, a Republican, is facing challenges from fellow Republican Christoper Anglin and Democrat Anita Earls.