Cressie Thigpen
Encyclopedia
Cressie H. Thigpen, Jr. is a North Carolina
lawyer and jurist who was appointed to a seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals
in August 2010. Governor Bev Perdue
appointed Thigpen to replace Judge James A. Wynn, who had been appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals. In the election that followed in November 2010
, Thigpen lost to former Judge Douglas McCullough
in what was the state's first use of instant runoff voting for a statewide election. Thigpen was then appointed by Gov. Perdue to fill a different seat on the Court of Appeals, which became vacant when Barbara Jackson
won election to the North Carolina Supreme Court
.
In 1999, he was elected president of the state bar – the first African-American to hold that post.
He has served as chairman of the board of trustees of North Carolina Central University
, his alma mater, and has served on the board of trustees for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
.
Judge Thigpen received his bachelor’s degree from NCCU in 1968 and his law degree from Rutgers University
in 1973. He is a veteran of the Peace Corps
.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
lawyer and jurist who was appointed to a seat on the North Carolina Court of Appeals
North Carolina Court of Appeals
The North Carolina Court of Appeals is the only intermediate appellate court in the state of North Carolina. It is composed of fifteen members who sit in rotating groups of three...
in August 2010. Governor Bev Perdue
Bev Perdue
Beverly Eaves "Bev" Perdue is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party currently serving as the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina. She is the first female governor of North Carolina....
appointed Thigpen to replace Judge James A. Wynn, who had been appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals. In the election that followed in November 2010
North Carolina judicial elections, 2010
One justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and five judges of the North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected by North Carolina voters on November 2, 2010, on the same day as the U.S. Senate election, U.S. House elections, and other state-level elections. North Carolina judicial elections are...
, Thigpen lost to former Judge Douglas McCullough
Douglas McCullough
J. Douglas McCullough is an American lawyer and judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals.-Education and career:After earning a history degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1967 and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina in 1970, McCullough served...
in what was the state's first use of instant runoff voting for a statewide election. Thigpen was then appointed by Gov. Perdue to fill a different seat on the Court of Appeals, which became vacant when Barbara Jackson
Barbara Jackson
Barbara Jackson is an American attorney and jurist who was elected in 2010 to an eight-year term on the North Carolina Supreme Court....
won election to the North Carolina Supreme Court
North Carolina Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of North Carolina is the state's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists of six associate justices and one chief justice, although the number of justices...
.
Background
Thigpen served as a special superior court judge from May 2008 until his appointment to the Court of Appeals. Previously, he was a partner in the law firm now known as Blue, Stephens & Fellers.In 1999, he was elected president of the state bar – the first African-American to hold that post.
He has served as chairman of the board of trustees of North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels....
, his alma mater, and has served on the board of trustees for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
.
Judge Thigpen received his bachelor’s degree from NCCU in 1968 and his law degree from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1973. He is a veteran of the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
.