Cheri Beasley

“The legal profession has historically been male-dominated. Women bring different professional perspectives and life perspectives to this work, breaking many of the barriers that communities face in accessing justice. Women are instrumental in strengthening the rule of law,” says Chief Justice Cheri Beasley. 

Chief Justice Beasley has spent more than 20 years dedicated to the rule of law. First serving as a district court judge in Cumberland County for a decade, she was elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2008. Chief Justice Beasley later served as an associate justice on the Supreme Court of North Carolina for seven years before being appointed by Governor Roy Cooper in 2019 to lead the state’s highest court, becoming the first African American woman in the Court’s 200-year history to serve as Chief Justice.  

As the state’s top jurist, Chief Justice Beasley is the leader of the Judicial Branch and is responsible for numerous administrative and operational duties. In her position as Chief Justice, she has two distinct roles. First, Chief Justice Beasley oversees the operations of the Supreme Court, hearing and deciding cases alongside her colleagues, the six associate justices on the Court. Second, she leads the Judicial Branch and its nearly 6,500 dedicated employees– elected judges, district attorneys, clerks of court, public defenders, magistrates, and judicial support staff– to ensure North Carolina courts are running properly, hearing cases in a timely manner, and treating litigants fairly.  

Chief Justice Beasley, a strong advocate for fair and accessible courts, has worked to leverage the power of technology to make sure our courts are efficient and accessible, mainly through rolling out the eCourts system. This system has allowed for court services to be available remotely, which has removed barriers to access, especially in rural communities where the courthouse may be located several miles away from someone’s home. The eCourts system is also providing easier and immediate access to victims of domestic violence. Chief Justice Beasley explains that victims can file domestic violence protective orders online in only 16 North Carolina counties and emphasizes the need for this lifesaving service to be expanded to all 100 counties.  

Additionally, Chief Justice Beasley is leading partnerships between school administrators, law enforcement, and the courts to keep young people out of the juvenile justice system. Chief Justice Beasley reports that 11,000 children were referred to the courts last year, often for behavior that she describes should land them in a principal’s office, not a courtroom. 

The Chief Justice’s commitment to protecting the future of young people stems from her concern that constant interaction with the juvenile justice system can alter a young person’s course of life, making them more likely to be involved in the criminal justice system as an adult rather than attend college or enter the work force.  

Chief Justice Beasley acknowledges her important role in implementing and deciding policy in the judicial branch, especially as a chief justice on a state court, where she believes she is part of people’s lives in a very impactful way. She says, “as a judge, I am in a very special place to make tough decisions that affect people, families, and communities.”