North Carolina

2026 North Carolina General Election

Karen Eady-Williams

- 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

Businesses

Criminal Justice

Legal Experience

Judicial Administration

Judicial Philosophy

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

Superior Court Judge

Buket Urgen

Karen Eady-Williams is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She has a bachelor 27s degree from the College of William and Mary and a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. She is married and has four sons.

Eady-Williams named District Court judge - The Charlotte Post

Karen Eady-Williams - Ballotpedia

About – A Better Mecklenburg

Karen is a judge for Judicial District 26F of the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division. She previously worked as a vice president and assistant general counsel for Wachovia Corp. Before that, she served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. She started her legal career as an assistant public defender in the 26th Judicial District.

Karen is currently a judge for Judicial District 26F of the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division. She was first appointed to the Superior Court in 2017 and re-elected in 2018. She previously served as a judge on the North Carolina District Court from 2010 to 2017.

As an assistant public defender, Eady-Williams handled felonies in district and superior courts and represented clients in involuntary commitment hearings.

As an assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, served for seven years, gaining significant legal experience.

As a prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eady-Williams handled general criminal and white-collar crime cases and served as the Financial Crimes Litigation unit supervisor in the civil division.

As vice president and assistant general counsel at Wachovia Corp. for six years, handled defensive litigation and internal investigations.

As of January 5, 2026, Karen Eady-Williams’s website did not contain information on this issue.