Chief Justice Paul Newby has appointed Superior Court Judge Andrew T. Heath as director of the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC), effective today, January 8. His role will be to manage and oversee the administrative services provided to the Judicial Branch’s more than 6,400 employees and hundreds of courthouses and facilities in every county of the state.

“His broad experience and in-depth wisdom gained in the Judicial Branch and throughout state government make him an excellent choice for this important work,” said Chief Justice Newby. “Judge Heath stands ready to work with courts statewide to assist and equip them with the resources and equipment they need to administer equal justice for all.”

“It is an honor to be of service in this capacity to the Judicial Branch and this great state,” said Judge Heath. “I look forward to working with the courts and our many stakeholders as we continue to work through the pandemic.”

Judge Heath’s most recent experience was serving as a superior court judge with statewide jurisdiction where he presided over bench and jury trials in civil and criminal matters. His prior professional experience includes having served as budget director for the Office of the Governor, leading the Office of State Budget and Management, having served as chairman of the North Carolina Industrial Commission, and having worked in private practice with Hedrick, Gardner, Kincheloe, and Garofalo, LLP, in Wilmington, North Carolina. Judge Heath is presently in the LLM program at Nottingham Trent University School of Law, earned a Juris Doctor from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2006, and earned a bachelor of science from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 2003.