Magistrates are often referred to as the “first face” of the judicial system. They are critical to upholding the due process rights of North Carolina’s citizens. One of the best parts of my job is the opportunity to train magistrates in their civil law duties.
Magistrates must complete 12 hours of training each year, which includes annual instruction in seven required subjects. They include (1) setting conditions of pretrial release, (2) impaired driving laws, (3) issuing criminal processes, (4) issuing search warrants, (5) technology, (6) orders of protection, and (7) summary ejectment laws. GS 7A-177.
In 2020 the North Carolina Judicial College launched the Magistrate Certification Program to recognize magistrates who complete in-depth training in the areas of civil and criminal law. These magistrates not only meet their minimum annual requirements but, over their careers, they participate in advanced courses to fulfill the five components necessary for Civil and/or Criminal Law Certification. Completing these components demonstrates the magistrate’s commitment to continuous learning. A complete list of magistrates who have achieved certification since 2021 is available on the UNC School of Government website.
Magistrates who have completed all of the required courses for either or both certifications are eligible to apply. Applications for certification were received from November 1 through December 31, 2025. The next application period will be November 1 through December 31, 2026. It is my pleasure to announce the newly certified magistrates for 2025:
Civil Law
Angela Boles, Moore County
Thomasa Carver, Buncombe County
Qadir Hassan, Guilford County
Howard Herring, Granville County
Michelle Johnson, Cumberland County
Penny Lytle, Mecklenburg County
Shavon McNeill, Robeson County
Caroline Mitchell, Stanly County
John Oliver, Robeson County
Helena Rodgers, Alamance County
Lisa Russell, Moore County
Heather Stroud, Lenoir County
Holly Webber, Mitchell County
Al Williams, Hertford County
Criminal Law
Deanne Brown, Montgomery County
Leslie Bruner, Scotland County
Riley Curry, Davidson County
Joseph Faulkner, Stanly County
Jeff Funderburk, Gaston County
Samuel Hardison, Martin County
Sue Harrell, Wilson County
Ashlyn Harris, Cleveland County
Donnie Hedwin, New Hanover County
Howard Herring, Granville County
Laura Holden, Swain County
Jeffrey Hollan, Alamance County
Bryson Jenkins, Jones County
Caroline Mitchell, Stanly County
Shannon Robbins, Nash County
Helena Rodgers, Alamance County
Lisa Russell, Moore County
Heather Stroud, Lenoir County
Holly Webber, Mitchell County
Al Willliams, Hertford County
On behalf of the Judicial College, I extend my sincere congratulations to these magistrates on this extraordinary achievement. If you are a magistrate who is interested in certification, read more about it on the NC Magistrate microsite. If you have any questions about certification, please contact me at mcrenshaw@sog.unc.edu.
