Governor Josh Stein announced the appointment of Athena Fox Brooks to the Superior Court for Judicial District 42, which serves Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties. Brooks will fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Peter Knight.
The appointment is significant for the local judicial system as it ensures continuity in leadership following Knight’s departure. The Superior Court plays a key role in handling major civil and criminal cases within these counties.
Brooks brings more than eighteen years of experience from her service in the North Carolina Judicial Branch. She has previously worked as a District Court judge, then as Chief District Court judge, and later as a Special Superior Court judge. Since 2023, she has served as managing attorney at Carr, Blackwell & Associates, P.C., and participated on the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners.
Brooks earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.
Her appointment follows standard procedure when judicial vacancies arise due to retirements or other departures. Observers expect that Brooks’s extensive background will help maintain stability in Judicial District 42.
