Judge Alan Thornburg
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge, North Carolina Superior Court
Asheville
Attends First Presbyterian Church Asheville

Members of the North Carolina Faith and Justice Alliance Steering Committee

Education

He received his B.A. in history from Davidson College in 1989 and his law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1996.

Alan Z. Thornburg

Alan Thornburg earned a bachelor's degree in history from Davidson College and a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. He attends First Presbyterian Church of Asheville.

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

Alan Z. Thornburg - Ballotpedia

Career

Thornburg began his law career in private practice, while serving as an aide to U.S. Senator Terry Sanford from 1997 to 2004. In 2004, he was appointed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Alan began his legal career in private practice and served as an aide to U.S. Senator Terry Sanford.

Alan has served as a judge in the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division, Judicial District 28, since 2009.

2026 North Carolina General Election

2.1 Judicial Candidate Resource Guide 

Began a legal career in private practice before joining the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2004.

Serves as a senior resident Superior Court judge, presiding over jury trials involving criminal charges, injury claims, and contract disputes.

Alan Thornburg (thornburgforjudge.com)
Relevant experience: "Current senior resident Superior Court judge; serve in Buncombe and 16 other counties, presiding over jury trials on a wide range of issues, from murder and sexual assault to personal-injury claims and contract disputes. Graduate of Davidson College and Wake Forest University School of Law."

Benchmarks

Alan Z. Thornburg (Democratic Party) is a judge for Judicial District 28 of the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division. He assumed office on January 1, 2019. His current term ends on December 31, 2026.

As superior court judge, he oversees cases involving criminal felonies, the administration of wills and estates, evictions of renters, and divorce proceedings, and exercises authority to review and correct the rulings of lower courts.

- As superior court judge, he oversees cases involving criminal felonies, the administration of wills and estates, evictions of renters, and divorce proceedings, and exercises authority to review and correct the rulings of lower courts.

Legal Experience

Personal motivation: "The view from a judge’s perspective is like no other: One must be absolutely fair and impartial, conducting court efficiently with an even temperament; treating all involved in the proceedings with respect and dignity. Buncombe County deserves a Superior Court judge with experience making the daily, difficult decisions affecting people’s lives; a judge who knows both criminal and civil law from an academic as well as a practical perspective; a judge who has experience in many roles — as a lawyer, as a trial judge, and as a judge who has heard cases on appeal. I have those qualifications and more."

Believes court proceedings should be conducted efficiently and with an even temperament.

- Believes court proceedings should be conducted efficiently and with an even temperament.

Judicial Administration

Said voters should recognize judicial races as nonpartisan and become informed about candidates.

“The people are looking for a shortcut to determine judicial philosophy,” Newby said. “I think [identifying with a party platform] is a fair means to use.”

Thornburg said he maintained hope that “the voters will know [judges] are in a nonpartisan race” and get informed, but conceded that was less likely in the new system.

“We want to do everything we can to make it successful,” he said. “What I’m trying to do is get folks to find the judges, because they’re going to be down the ballot. It will take some time to learn [the new system].”

Parties Differ on Judicial Politicking

Believes judges must be fair and impartial and treat everyone involved in proceedings with respect and dignity.

Thinks judges must be fair and impartial and treat everyone involved in proceedings with respect and dignity.

- Thinks judges must be fair and impartial and treat everyone involved in proceedings with respect and dignity.

Judicial Philosophy

As of January 5, 2026, Alan Thornburg did not have a website or any information online.

Ethics & Conduct

Attends First Presbyterian Church of Asheville.

- Attends First Presbyterian Church of Asheville.

Community Involvement

Alan Thornburg

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

Ballotpedia's career biography states: "He received his B.A. in history from Davidson College in 1989 and his law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1996."

Alan Thornburg earned a bachelor's degree in history from Davidson College and a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Ballotpedia's career section states: "Thornburg began his law career in private practice, while serving as an aide to U.S. Senator Terry Sanford from 1997 to 2004."

Alan Thornburg began his law career in private practice and served as an aide to U.S. Senator Terry Sanford.

In a Mountain Xpress candidate questionnaire-style entry, Thornburg described his relevant experience as: "Current senior resident Superior Court judge; serve in Buncombe and 16 other counties, presiding over jury trials on a wide range of issues, from murder and sexual assault to personal-injury claims and contract disputes. Graduate of Davidson College and Wake Forest University School of Law."

Ballotpedia's 2018 election section reports: "Incumbent Alan Z. Thornburg won election in the general election for North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division Judicial District 28 on November 6, 2018."

Alan currently serves as a senior resident Superior Court judge. He won election to North Carolina's 5th Superior Court Division Judicial District 28 in 2018.

Benchmarks – Mountain Xpress

Serves as a senior resident Superior Court judge in Buncombe and 16 other counties, presiding over criminal and civil jury trials.

Was appointed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2004.

Began his legal career in private practice.

Believes judges should conduct court efficiently and with an even temperament.

Serves on the North Carolina Faith and Justice Alliance Steering Committee.

Serves on Buncombe County's Justice Resource Advisory Council, which advises on criminal justice system improvements.

He received his B.A. in history from Davidson College in 1989 and his law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1996.

Alan Thornburg earned a bachelor's degree in history from Davidson College and a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. He attends First Presbyterian Church Asheville.

Thornburg began his law career in private practice, while serving as an aide to U.S. Senator Terry Sanford from 1997 to 2004. In 2004, he was appointed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Alan Thornburg began his legal career in private practice and served as an aide to U.S. Senator Terry Sanford.

Alan Thornburg, Jacqueline Grant
Superior Court Judges, District 40

Ward Scott (Chief Judge), Ed Clontz, Julie Kepple, Patricia Kaufmann-Young, Susan Dotson-Smith, Robin Leigh Merrell, Meredith Pressley Stone

Elected Officials

Thornburg was initially a superior court judge for the 28th Judicial District of the Eighth Division of the Superior Court. Thornburg was appointed to the court by Governor Mike Easley in January 2009 and was elected to the position in November 2010.

Thornburg (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for the Judicial District 28 judge of the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.

Alan currently serves as a Superior Court judge for District 40. He was appointed to the Superior Court for the 28th Judicial District in 2009, elected in 2010, and reelected in 2018. He was appointed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2004.

Elected Officials — Buncombe Dems

Worked in private legal practice, providing legal advice and representation to clients.

Was appointed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2004, reviewing lower-court rulings for legal or procedural errors.

Serves as senior resident superior court judge for Buncombe and 16 other counties, presiding over jury trials in criminal and civil cases.

Said judges must conduct court proceedings efficiently and with an even temperament.

Said judges must be fair and impartial and treat everyone involved in proceedings with respect and dignity.

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.

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

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.

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.

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

- 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