Chief Justice Mark Martin has appointed Judge Elizabeth Heath as chief district court judge for Judicial District 8 (Greene, Lenoir, and Wayne counties), effective June 11. Judge Heath succeeds Chief Judge R. Les Turner.

Judge Heath has served as a district court judge since December 2002. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her juris doctor (J.D.) from Campbell University School of Law.