ALBEMARLE —North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley announced in a press release Monday that she had chosen three chief district court judges to replace retiring judges. Judge John R. Nance was picked by Beasley to fill the vacancy for chief district judge for Judicial District 20A, which serves Stanly and Montgomery counties.
Nance is currently the acting chief judge for District 20A following the retirement announcement of Chief District Court Judge Bill Tucker. Tucker will officially vacate the seat on July 31.
“I am grateful to each of these judges for their willingness to lead in their communities, particularly as we continue to navigate such difficult waters together,” said Beasley in the press release.
Nance graduated from Oklahoma University in 1977 and later received a master’s degree from Webster University in 1987. He then went to Regent University School of Law, where he received his law degree in 1991. In 2014, Nance was elected to be a judge on North Carolina’s Judicial District 20A and has served on that court, of which he will now be chief judge, since 2015.
“I am confident that courts in each of these counties will continue to serve the public with excellence and expediency under the new leadership,” Beasley said.