After nearly 27 years, Mecklenburg County's longest serving judge has made plans to trade in his robe for an attorney's suit and tie when his terms runs out in 2026.
In a letter to colleagues, Superior Court Judge Louis A. Trosch said he felt "blessed beyond measure" for his time on the bench, "but, as the good book says, there is a time for all seasons, including a time to say good-bye."
He said he would not seek reelection in 2026, and instead retire from the Superior Court and join his father, brothers and son at the law firm of Conrad, Trosch & Kemmy, P.A.
"You will still see me at the courthouse," Trosch wrote to colleagues. "I'll just be wearing a coat and tie instead of a black robe."
Trosch graduated from West Charlotte High School and attended Washington & Lee University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.
He was appointed to serve as a judge in the 26th Judicial District on Jan. 5, 1999, and later joined the Superior Court bench in 2018. In 2010, Trosch became the first judge in North Carolina to be certified by the National Association of Counsel for Children as a Child Welfare Law Specialist.
For many years, Trosch also oversaw the local Juvenile Court, co-chaired the Race Matters for Juvenile Justice Initiative and served as Charlotte's Model Court's Lead Judge. In 2017, he also made headlines when he announced he would switch parties — from Republican to Democrat — as a "matter of conscience."
