One justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and six judges of the North Carolina Court of Appeals were elected to eight-year terms by North Carolina voters on November 4, 2008. This coincided with the presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, gubernatorial, and Council of State elections.
North Carolina judicial elections are non-partisan. Primary elections were held on May 6, 2008 for seats with more than two candidates running. The top two vote-getters in the primary, regardless of party affiliation, advanced to the general election.
Despite the non-partisan nature of the elections, candidates' party affiliations were well-known. As a result of the elections, the Republicans maintained their 4-3 majority on the state Supreme Court. Democrats maintained their majority on the Court of Appeals. Only one Republican (Robert N. Hunter, Jr.) defeated a Democrat in a Court of Appeals race.
Incumbent Robert H. Edmunds, Jr. ran for re-election and was opposed by Professor Suzanne Reynolds of Wake Forest University Law School. Edmunds defeated Reynolds in the closest statewide judicial race of 2008.
Incumbent John S. Arrowood, appointed in 2007, was opposed by former state Board of Elections chairman Robert N. Hunter, Jr.
Incumbent Linda Stephens ran for election, having been appointed in 2007. She was opposed by attorney Dan Barrett.