Governor Roy Cooper appointed two new District Court Judges to serve Guilford and Wake counties.

Ashley Watlington-Simms will serve as District Court Judge in Judicial District 18, Guilford County, filling the seat vacated by the Honorable Betty Brown. Prior to her career in law Watlington-Simms worked in the healthcare field as a nurse. She has served as an Assistant District Attorney for Guilford County since 2013. Watlington-Simms is a graduate of Western Carolina University who earned a Juris Doctorate from the Charlotte School of Law.

Mark Stevens has been appointed to serve as District Court Judge in Judicial District 10C for Wake County, filling the seat of the Honorable Robert Rader. Stevens graduated with a BA from Denison University earning his Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University. The Raleigh native has served as an Assistant District Attorney in Wake County since 2008 and holds leadership roles with the Wake County Bar Association.