Chief Justice Paul Newby continued his 100-county courthouse tour last week and this week with stops in 10 North Carolina counties. Today, Newby is scheduled to visit Wake County, and Hoke, Scotland, Richmond, and Anson counties are on the itinerary for tomorrow. Last week, Newby toured the Beaufort, Hyde, Tyrrell, Washington, and Perquimans county courthouses.

At each county courthouse, Newby greets judges and courthouse personnel to thank them for their hard work and dedication in keeping courts open and accessible to North Carolinians. In 2020–2021, judges and courthouse personnel have been essential in fulfilling the Judicial Branch's constitutional "open courts" mandate to provide equal justice to all in a timely manner.   

"Our local courthouses are the backbone of North Carolina's court system," Newby said. "Each courthouse faces unique challenges, and this tour has been essential in supporting local leadership to meet our constitutional mandate that courts remain open and that justice is delivered without favor, denial, or delay."

The tour began in May 2021 and after tomorrow's visits, Newby will have visited  67 county courthouses across North Carolina. When completed, Newby will be the first chief justice to visit all of North Carolina's courthouses from Murphy to Manteo.

Members of the media are invited to accompany Newby during each courthouse tour. Interviews, photos, and video will be permitted while the tour is in progress. The timeline and details of each visit will be announced as they become available.