Judge Phyllis Gorham to retire as Senior Resident Superior Court Judge

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — After sitting on the bench for 18 years, Judge Phyllis Gorham has announced her retirement.

In a letter to Governor Roy Cooper, Judge Gorham announced she will retire before the expiration of her term next year.

“This has not been an easy decision to make, but I know that it is the right decision to make,” Gorham wrote in the letter.

Gorham currently serves as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge in the 5th Judicial District of New Hanover and Pender Counties.

She was appointed by Governor Mike Easley in 2007 before being elected in 2008.

Before taking the bench, Gorham worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the 6th Prosecutorial District of New Hanover and Pender Counties.

She has worked for more than 30 years as superior court judge, district court judge, assistant district attorney, and a UNC Hospitals employee.

Her retirement is effective January 1, 2024.

Ben David, district attorney for New Hanover and Pender Counties, shared a statement that reads: “Phyllis Gorham has faithfully served the public over many years as a judge, a prosecutor and police attorney. She has presided over many of the biggest cases in this region and has consistently been upheld on appeal. On a personal note, she is not only one of my first mentors in the DAs office but a dear friend. She is universally respected and will be missed by the entire legal community.”