Chief Justice Cheri Beasley has appointed District Court Judge Debra S. Sasser as chief district court judge for the Tenth Judicial District (Wake County). Judge Sasser will succeed Chief District Court Judge Robert B. Rader upon his retirement on August 31, 2020.

“Judge Sasser has served on the district court bench for 15 years and brings a great wealth of court experience,” said Chief Justice Beasley. “I am confident that courts in Wake County will continue to serve the public with excellence and expediency under her leadership.”

Judge Sasser was elected to the district court bench in 2004 and has been re-elected in subsequent elections. She has worked as a lawyer, litigation associate, and attorney advocate for Wake County Guardian ad Litem prior to her judicial election in 2004. Her previous work includes being an arbitrator and mediator and also representing abused or neglected children. She received her bachelor of science in Sociology from Oklahoma State University in 1980 and her juris doctor (J.D.) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law in 1992.