Yesterday, Governor Pat McCrory announced that he has appointed Raleigh lawyer Greg McGuire as a Special Superior Court Judge for a term beginning October 13, 2014.  The Governor’s plan is to designate Judge McGuire as a Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases at the beginning of the Judge’s term.

Judge McGuire will serve in Wake County, which means that he will be assigned to the Raleigh Business Court.

What about Judge Jolly, you are thinking?  He was been the Judge in the Raleigh Business Court since that Court opened.

I had been hearing for some time that Judge Jolly would be retiring soon due to his approaching of the mandatory retirement age of 72.  It appears that will not be the case, as the Business Court website now refers to Judge Jolly as a "Retired/Recalled Emergency Judge."  The Chief Justice is authorized, per G.S. §7A-57(3), to recall a Judge who has reached retirement age if the Chief Justice has determined that the Judge "is capable of efficiently and promptly discharging the duties of the office to which recalled."

One more change has occurred at the Business Court.  Judge Gale, who sits in the Greensboro Business Court, is now the Chief Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases.  That title was previously held by Judge Jolly.  Having the Chief Judge of the Business Court in Greensboro is as things should be, because everyone in North Carolina knows that Greensboro is the legal center of the State.

I have no information to pass on about new Judge McGuire, other than that he was a partner at Ogeltree Deakins in Raleigh.  His firm bio is here.  Ogeltree is nationally known for its labor and employment practice.