NC H656

District Court District 43 would be split into District 43A (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon, and Swain counties with 4 judges) and District 43B (Haywood and Jackson counties with 4 judges), adding one new full-time district court judge position

Defender District 43 would similarly be divided into 43A and 43B, with a new public defender office established to serve Haywood and Jackson counties

Appropriates $253,001 in recurring funds and $10,376 in nonrecurring funds for FY 2026-2027 to hire one district court judge, plus $71,932 recurring and $3,436 nonrecurring for a judicial assistant

Appropriates $228,461 recurring and $4,895 nonrecurring for one chief public defender, plus $424,488 recurring and $14,685 nonrecurring for three assistant public defenders to serve the new Defender District 43B

District court reorganization takes effect January 1, 2027 with 2026 elections held accordingly; funding and defender district provisions become effective July 1, 2026