North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper recently appointed Christopher J. Welch to sit on the bench for District 4, which consists of Sampson, Duplin, Jones and Onslow counties.

The Jacksonville-based lawyer was selected to fill a vacancy left by the retirement of the Honorable William “Mac” Cameron, who served since the 1990s. He was re-elected in 2016 to another term, which Welch will now serve out.

Welch is a partner at Welch and Avery, a criminal defense and family law firm. Clients who need civil litigation and landlord services are also served. He’s also a board certified specialist in state criminal law.

“Christopher’s extensive legal experience makes him a great asset to our court system, and I’m grateful for his continued service to North Carolina,” Cooper stated in a news release.

During his time as an assistant district attorney in Onslow and Duplin, he represented the state at both the district and superior court levels. After starting a private practice in 2002, Welch represented clients charged with felonies and misdemeanors in the Cape Fear area. Some of his other accomplishments include serving on the Board of Directors for the Onslow County Teen Court and as treasurer for the 4th Judicial District Bar.

He’s also a member of the Onslow County Bar, the Criminal Defense Section of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and other organizations. Welch was recognized as a “Top 40 under 40” criminal defense attorney by the American Society of Legal Advocates. He was also honored by the organization as one of the Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys.

Welch is a 1997 graduate of Trinity College, where he earned a degree in political science. In 2000, he earned his juris doctorate from the Wake Forest University School of Law.

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Staff reports