Judicial candidate research was completed with help from the Wake Forest University School of Law Pro Bono Project.
North Carolina Court of Appeals judges are statewide roles, meaning voters across all 100 counties in North Carolina vote in these races. The court, which is made up of 15 judges who hear cases in three-person panels, is the state’s intermediate appellate court and hears appeals from lower courts in both civil and criminal cases.
Requirements and duties:
- Judges on the North Carolina Court of Appeals serve eight-year terms.
- They must be licensed attorneys and are responsible for reviewing lower court decisions, interpreting state law, and issuing written opinions.
- The Court of Appeals plays a major role in shaping legal precedent in North Carolina and often hears cases involving constitutional rights, criminal justice and civil disputes.
Incumbent Democrat John Arrowood faces Republican Michael C. Byrne. Arrowood is seeking his second term. Judicial races in North Carolina identify candidates’ parties on the ballot, though judges are expected to be nonpartisan in decision-making. Republicans hold 12 of the 15 seats on the N.C. Court of Appeals.
Michael C. Byrne
Party: Republican
Incumbent: No
Age: 58
Previous experience in elected office: None
Occupation: Administrative Law Judge
Description:
Byrne describes himself as conservative, and his campaign focuses on judicial restraint, fairness, due process and constitutional interpretation. Byrne has emphasized his record as an administrative law judge, dealing with cases involving state agencies. He notes that he has been upheld by the Court of Appeals "in complex cases like Certificate of Need and public employment." He has also highlighted his support from law enforcement organizations, including the National Association of Police Organizations, the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police and the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association. Byrne has said that fairness and due process are central to his judicial philosophy.
Other personal:
Byrne grew up in Wake County and lives in Cary. He has spent much of his legal career practicing in administrative and appellate law and has worked extensively on cases involving law enforcement and public employees. He is married and has one child. He earned a bachelor’s in English from N.C. State and a JD from Campbell University, where he served as editor of the Campbell Law Observer.
Review of Candidate Rulings (Source: Wake Forest University School of Law Pro Bono Project)
Michael C. Byrne has served as an attorney and administrative law judge in North Carolina, narrowing his practice to representing law enforcement and public employees before the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), Superior Court, Court of Appeals, and the North Carolina Supreme Court. He has appeared in over 270 cases before the OAH, handled more than 20 appeals to the Court of Appeals as an attorney and was sworn in as an administrative law judge in June 2020, where he has issued over 400 decisions. His decisions are detailed, with extensive findings of fact and careful application of legal rules. Of the judge’s decisions appealed to the Court of Appeals, one was reversed; the others were upheld. If elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, Byrne would likely continue to apply a philosophy grounded in statutory fidelity, procedural rigor, and individualized, evidence-based review of agency actions.
He does not have any criminal convictions in North Carolina and has never been disciplined by the State Bar.
John S. Arrowood
Party: Democrat
Incumbent: Yes
Age: 69
Previous experience in elected office: North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (2017-present); North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge (2007-2008); Special Superior Court Judge (2007)
Occupation: N.C. Court of Appeals Judge
Description:
Arrowood’s campaign focuses on judicial independence, fairness and equal access to justice. He has emphasized protecting constitutional rights and ensuring that courts remain impartial and free from political influence. Arrowood has pointed to his years of appellate judicial experience and his record of written opinions as evidence of his qualifications. He has also highlighted his support for fair redistricting and judicial transparency. Arrowood has been endorsed by progressive legal and voting rights organizations and was the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to statewide office in North Carolina.
Other personal:
Arrowood was born in Burnsville and lives in Charlotte. His parents passed away when he was 15. He has been active in civic and legal organizations throughout North Carolina. He was on the Board of Trustees for the Mint Museum of Art and on the board of the Charlotte Urban Ministry Center. He earned a B.A. from Catawba College and a JD from UNC Chapel Hill.
Review of Candidate Rulings (Source: Wake Forest University School of Law Pro Bono Project)
Judge Arrowood’s judicial philosophy is defined by his commitment to a holistic approach to analyzing cases before him and adherence to established legal principles. This can be seen in his detailed approach to analyzing harmful errors that occurred in the course of matters before him on appeal. Across his career as a judge, his judicial opinions have been cited by the North Carolina Supreme Court in deciding various matters before that Court. A review of appellate decisions did not identify any majority opinions authored by Arrowood that were reversed by the NC Supreme Court.
