Hunter Murphy

Hunter Murphy (Republican Party) is a judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. He assumed office in 2016. His current term ends on January 1, 2025.

Murphy (Republican Party) ran for re-election for judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. He lost in the Republican primary on March 5, 2024.

Murphy completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Murphy earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 2003 and his law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 2006.^[1]^[2]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for North Carolina Court of Appeals

Martin Moore and Christopher A. Freeman are running in the general election for North Carolina Court of Appeals on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Martin Moore (D)
		Christopher A. Freeman (R)

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Martin Moore advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for North Carolina Court of Appeals

Christopher A. Freeman defeated incumbent Hunter Murphy in the Republican primary for North Carolina Court of Appeals on March 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Christopher A. Freeman	62.6	532,794
	Hunter Murphy	37.4	317,807

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 850,601
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Campaign finance

Endorsements

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2016

Murphy ran to succeed Judge Martha Geer on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.^[3] Because the seat was vacated after the primary election, no primary was held. Murphy faced Donald R. Buie and Margaret P. Eagles on November 8, 2016.

Election results

November 8 general election

Hunter Murphy defeated Margaret P. Eagles and Donald R. Buie in the general election for the North Carolina Court of Appeals, Geer seat.

North Carolina Court of Appeals, Geer seat, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Hunter Murphy	48.70%	2,159,193
Margaret P. Eagles	45.60%	2,021,769
Donald R. Buie	5.70%	252,756
Total Votes (2,704 of 2,704: 100%)		4,433,718
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections Official Results

2014

See also: North Carolina judicial elections, 2014
Murphy ran for election to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
General: He was defeated in the general election on November 4, 2014, after receiving 4.4 percent of the vote. He competed against Marion R. Warren, Chuck Winfree, John Marsh Tyson, Elizabeth Davenport Scott, Tricia Shields, Jody Newsome, Marty Martin, Keischa Lovelace, Ann Kirby, Abraham P. Jones, Sabra Jean Faires, Daniel Patrick Donahue, J. Brad Donovan, Lori G. Christian, Jeffrey M. Cook, Betsy Bunting, John S. Arrowood and Valerie Johnson Zachary. ^[4]

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Hunter Murphy completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Murphy's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 15 Incumbent

Bildung

University of North Carolina – Double Major in Economics and Religion University of the Pacific – Juris Doctor

Occupation

Judge- North Carolina Court of Appeals

Legal/Judicial Experience

I began my career as a general practitioner in Western North Carolina—a smalltown attorney. In 2016, the people of North Carolina elected me to serve as a judge on our Court of Appeals.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Why I am running for re-election: I love to help people, and I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve all North Carolinians during my time on our Court of Appeals. With your support, I would appreciate the opportunity to continue serving. Our appellate courts require that judges be thoughtful scholars, passionate about the law, and diligent stewards of our jurisprudence. One of the great things about this job is that my body of work is transparent; my legal reasoning is on the page for you to read, and I believe my opinions, concurrences, and dissents are testaments to my having upheld these standards.
As a husband and father of teenage twins, I understand my duties are twofold: first and foremost, to maintain the rule of law and the integrity of the judiciary for this generation and future ones; and, second, to be the judge that I would want hearing my case, my wife’s, or my children’s if they were in the parties’ shoes. I believe you would want no less for yourself or your family, and that is why I would like to ask for your vote.
Scholarship and Stewardship

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Maintaining the independence of our judiciary, free from politics.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Our Court is the last stop for 95% of the cases in NC. There is a huge responsibility to get it right and express that in a way which can be applied in future cases.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I don't look up to other people as we are all flawed. I do try follow examples from many of the Christian men in my life and learn from those in my Bible study groups.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

My judicial reasoning is on the pages of my opinions. I encourage you to review them.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty and Dedication

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have done a good job for 7+ years and I would continue to do the same if reelected.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A very smart person that is curious and intellectually honest.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That litigants know, win or lose, they received a full review of their case.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The Challenger Explosion, I had just turned five.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was as a busboy and then as a Sandwich Artist at Subway. When I was 16, I served as a runner after school for a law firm.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible- Because I always learn something whenever I open it.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Desperately Wanting - Better than Ezra

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Being diagnosed with Autism later in life and all that has entailed.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

To make sure that everyone received a fair trial.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

That we have the statutory authority to decide habeas petitions individually and without a full panel

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not necessarily.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Legal reasoning and listening skills.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I'm not funny.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

This question touches on issues that may come before my Court.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.