Judge Martha “Marty” Geer announced Wednesday that she will be stepping down from the Court of Appeals to enter private practice with the law firm of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll.  Judge Geer will be leading the firm’s new North Carolina office.

Judge Geer has served admirably on the Court of Appeals since 2003.   A favorite among lawyers who regularly appear in her court, Judge Geer has a reputation for thoughtful, analytically robust opinions.  We wish Judge Geer all the best in her new endeavor.

Judge Geer’s resignation will, of course, create an opening on the fifteen-member Court of Appeals.  The Governor may appoint a successor, but the seat will ultimately be filled for an eight-year term at the general election to be held November 8, 2016.  Under the controlling statute, it would appear that there will be no runoff for the seat.  Instead, we might expect a large number of candidates to run.  Now, that sounds familiar.

–Matt Leerberg