Clifton Johnson
Encyclopedia
Clifton E. Johnson was an American
jurist who served on the North Carolina Court of Appeals
from 1982 through 1996.
Johnson, who graduated from North Carolina Central University
and its law school, was the first African-American to serve as a North Carolina District Court judge and the first to serve as chief judge of a district (in Mecklenburg County
). In 1978, he became the first African-American elected superior court
judge in the state since Reconstruction. Gov. Jim Hunt
appointed Johnson to the Court of Appeals in 1982. He was elected statewide later that year and re-elected in 1990. Johnson retired in 1996 as the court's senior associate judge. He later served as a special emergency superior court judge until his sudden death at a conference of judges in 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist who served 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...
from 1982 through 1996.
Johnson, who graduated from 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....
and its law school, was the first African-American to serve as a North Carolina District Court judge and the first to serve as chief judge of a district (in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...
). In 1978, he became the first African-American elected superior court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
judge in the state since Reconstruction. Gov. Jim Hunt
Jim Hunt
James Baxter Hunt Jr. is an American politician who was the 69th and 71st Governor of the state of North Carolina . He is the longest-serving governor in the state's history.-Early life:...
appointed Johnson to the Court of Appeals in 1982. He was elected statewide later that year and re-elected in 1990. Johnson retired in 1996 as the court's senior associate judge. He later served as a special emergency superior court judge until his sudden death at a conference of judges in 2009.