S. Katherine (Kat) Burnette has been appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to preside in Judicial District 9 which covers Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren counties. 

“Burnette’s commitment to serving North Carolina, along with her devotion and experience in the practice of law, makes her an ideal choice to serve Judicial District 9,” said. Gov. Cooper.

Burnette has practiced law in North Carolina for over 33 years and has served on the North Carolina Board of Elections, the North Carolina Board of Ethics and the North Carolina State Personnel Commission. She has experience practicing family, criminal, and bankruptcy law as well as civil and commercial litigation. In her role as an Assistant United States Attorney of the Eastern District of North Carolina, Burnette received two national service awards for her work.

Burnette received her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Wake Forest University, and she is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Queens University in Charlotte.

Burnette will fill the vacancy created by Judge Carolyn J. Thompson who was appointed to serve as a Superior Court Judge earlier this year.