Cooper Appoints Oakley To Bench

Gov. Roy Cooper has appointed NCAJ member Joel Oakley to serve as District Court Judge in Judicial District 18, serving Guilford County. He will fill the vacancy created by Judge Tonia Cutchin’s appointment to the Superior Court.

Oakley is a solo practitioner in Greensboro. Previously, he was a partner at Rumsey & Oakley. He is a member of NCAJ’s Criminal Defense Section and the Greensboro Bar Association and has served four terms as president of the Greensboro Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Oakley earned his bachelor of arts at Appalachian State University and his juris doctor at North Carolina Central University School of Law.

“Joel Oakley brings years of legal expertise to the bench,” said Governor Cooper. “I am confident that he will serve with fairness and dedication.”