Cheri Beasley

Cheri Beasley is an American jurist and politician who served as the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Appointed to the state's Court of Appeals in 2008, she later ascended to the Supreme Court in 2012 before becoming its first African American woman chief justice in 2019. After a narrow defeat in the 2022 U.S. Senate election, she has remained active in legal advocacy and Democratic politics, frequently speaking on issues of judicial independence and voting rights.

Early life and education

Born in Chicago, Illinois, she moved to Nashville during her youth. She completed her undergraduate studies at Douglass College, part of Rutgers University, where she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society. She then earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law, demonstrating an early commitment to public service. Her academic foundation was built within the context of historically significant institutions, shaping her perspective on law and equity.

Legal career

Following law school, she began her legal practice as a public defender in Cumberland County, representing indigent clients within the North Carolina court system. She later entered private practice, focusing on family law and appellate procedure. This frontline experience in both the public defender system and private bar provided a comprehensive understanding of trial court operations and client advocacy, which informed her subsequent judicial philosophy.

Judicial career

In 2008, Governor Mike Easley appointed her to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, making her only the second African American woman to serve on that court. She won a full term later that year. In 2012, Governor Beverly Perdue appointed her to the North Carolina Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by Patricia Timmons-Goodson. She was elected to a full eight-year term in 2014. In March 2019, Governor Roy Cooper elevated her to the role of Chief Justice following the resignation of Mark Martin. During her tenure, she presided over significant cases involving redistricting, voter ID laws, and education funding, often writing opinions that emphasized constitutional protections. She lost her bid for a full term as Chief Justice to Paul Newby in the 2020 election.

2022 U.S. Senate campaign

In 2021, she launched a campaign for the United States Senate, seeking the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Richard Burr. She won the Democratic primary decisively, becoming the party's nominee. The general election against Republican nominee Ted Budd, a sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives, was one of the most expensive and closely watched Senate races of the 2022 midterm cycle. She centered her campaign on protecting Social Security, expanding healthcare access, and defending abortion rights. Despite strong support from national groups like the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and EMILY's List, she was narrowly defeated by Budd, with the race called by the Associated Press several days after Election Day.

Post-campaign activities

Since her Senate campaign, she has joined the Duke University School of Law as a lecturing fellow and serves on the board of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. She is a frequent commentator on national media outlets such as CNN and MSNBC, discussing the U.S. Supreme Court, electoral politics, and civil rights. She also leads voter protection efforts for the North Carolina Democratic Party and is considered a potential future candidate for statewide or federal office, remaining a prominent figure in Democratic politics across the South.

Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:American judges Category:North Carolina Supreme Court justices Category:North Carolina Court of Appeals judges Category:Democratic Party candidates for United States Senate from North Carolina