2026 North Carolina General Election

Alan Thornburg

Buket Urgen

Alan is from Asheville, North Carolina. He attended Davidson College. He has a bachelor's degree in history from Davidson College and a law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law. He attends First Presbyterian Church Asheville.

Alan Z. Thornburg - Ballotpedia

Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Alan Thornburg | North ...

Members of the North Carolina Faith and Justice Alliance Steering ...

Alan is a Superior Court judge. He works at the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division, where he has been since January 2019. He previously worked at the North Carolina Superior Court for the 28th Judicial District (appointed in 2009 and elected in 2010), at the North Carolina Court of Appeals (appointed in 2004), on the North Carolina Board of Transportation (appointed in 2005), and in private law practice while serving as an aide to U.S. Senator Terry Sanford from 1997 to 2004.

Benchmarks – Mountain Xpress

Justice Resource Advisory Council | Buncombe County, NC

Alan Z. Thornburg is currently a judge for Judicial District 28 of the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division. He was first appointed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2004 but lost the subsequent election to Barbara Jackson; he was appointed to the North Carolina Board of Transportation in 2005 and to the 28th Judicial District Superior Court by Governor Mike Easley in 2009, then elected to that judgeship in November 2010. He won re-election in the general election on November 6, 2018, and is serving his second elected term.

As a current senior resident Superior Court judge, Thornburg presides over jury trials in Buncombe and 16 other counties, handling a variety of cases including murder, sexual assault, personal injury claims, and contract disputes.

Legal Experience

As of January 5, 2026, Alan Thornburg’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Judicial Administration

Judicial Philosophy

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

- The Superior Court Judge hears both civil and criminal cases. Superior Court Judges try civil cases involving more than $10,000. Superior Court Judge hear appeals of misdemeanors and infraction cases that were first heard in the District Court,
- They make decisions on bail, meaning a Superior Court Judge could keep a non-dangerous person in jail before they are convicted by setting a high bail.
- In each district (except Wake County), the most senior judge in years of service is designated the senior resident superior court judge. They are responsible for various administrative duties, including appointing magistrates and some other court officials, and managing the scheduling of civil cases for trial.
- Superior court judges rotate among the districts within their divisions.  
- The Superior Court Judge is elected for 8-year terms. Elections are partisan.

Trial Judge who hears criminal and civil cases