Current District Court Judge Robert Gilmore has been elevated to a Superior Court judgeship. Gov. Josh Stein made the announcement late Monday afternoon, tapping Gilmore and two others to new seats.
The one-time Clinton attorney will now be a Superior Court judge for District 5, serving Duplin, Jones, Onslow, and Sampson counties. He is filling the vacancy created after the Honorable Henry Stevens retired.
Gilmore, a native of the Keener community in Sampson County, was first elected to the role of District Court judge in 2020. After graduating from Hobbton High School, he attended the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University, where he earned his degree in the field and graduated as valedictorian. Prior to his election as judge, Gilmore practiced law in Clinton and served as a prosecutor handling felony cases including murder, rape and armed robbery.
Gilmore stated in a November 2025 Sampson Independent article about his intentions to seek election to Steven’s seat that his vision for the role includes “maintaining high ethical standards, treating every individual with respect, assuring that victims’ voices are heard, providing access to the courts and working cooperatively with court staff, attorneys and the community to foster public trust in the judiciary.”
At the time of his retirement announcement Stevens said about Gilmore, “He embodies the values this office demands — legal skill, humility, diligence, compassion — and I am confident he will carry forward the legacy of impartial justice and service to our communities..”
In a release about the appointments, the governor touted the selection of Gilmore and two others, Carrie Vickery to the Superior Court for Judicial District 31B, serving part of Forsyth Count and Kimberly Best to the District Court for Judicial District 26, serving Mecklenburg County.
“These judges are experienced attorneys who have dedicated themselves to the practice of the law,” Stein said. “Their judgment and experience are invaluable, and I look forward to their service on the bench.”
See a full story on Gilmore later in The Sampson Independent.