Chief Justice Paul Newby continued his 100-county courthouse tour with stops in Ashe, Watauga, and Wilkes counties. At all of the county courthouses, Newby greeted judges and courthouse personnel to thank them for their hard work and dedication in keeping courts open and accessible to North Carolinians. Judges and courthouse personnel are essential in fulfilling the Judicial Branch's constitutional "open courts" mandate to provide equal justice to all in a timely manner.   

"I was deeply humbled by the gracious reception I received from judges and courthouse staff at both of our courthouses today," Chief Justice Newby said. "They are the folks who do the heavy lifting and deserve all the credit for ensuring that North Carolinians have access to open courts and receive fair and impartial justice across the state."

The tour began in May 2021, and when completed, Newby will be the first chief justice to visit all of North Carolina's courthouses from Murphy to Manteo.