Governor Cooper today appointed Judge John Arrowood to the North Carolina Court of Appeals to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Douglas McCullough. After notifying the Governor’s General Counsel by phone over the weekend of his decision to resign, Judge McCullough resigned from the Court of Appeals effective at 9:30 am today in a letter to Governor Cooper that was sent this morning. A copy of the letter can be found here.
Judge Arrowood is a North Carolina native who previously served on the Court of Appeals and as a Superior Court Judge. After law school, Judge Arrowood served as a clerk for Judge Gerald Arnold at the NC Court of Appeals, and he was a staff attorney and head of the central staff for the Court. He has also served as a member of the North Carolina Banking Commission, the North Carolina Rules Review Commission, the North Carolina Arts Council, the North Carolina Election Law Review Commission, the North Carolina Attorney General’s Advisory Commission on Statutes and as a member of the North Carolina Railroad Commission. Arrowood holds a Bachelor of Arts from Catawba College and a Juris Doctor from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and currently practices law in Charlotte.
“I am deeply appreciative to Judge McCullough for his service to our state and our country,” said Cooper. “I’m proud to appoint Judge Arrowood to fill this vacancy on the Court of Appeals, a court where he has previously served with distinction. His experience as a judge on this court makes him uniquely qualified to hit the ground running and ensure that justice is swiftly delivered.”
Judge Arrowood was sworn in at 9:45 am today in Raleigh.
Governor Cooper will hold a media availability at the Executive Residence today at 10:30 AM to discuss the appointment. The Executive Residence is located at 200 N. Blount Street in Raleigh.