RALEIGH, NC (Sept 11, 2023) – Governor Roy Cooper has appointed Allison J. Riggs, current Court of Appeals judge and former Southern Coalition for Social Justice Co-Executive Director and Chief Counsel for Voting Rights, to the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Cooper made the announcement Monday afternoon – filling the seat of Justice Michael Morgan, who stepped down early from his term on North Carolina’s highest court last week. Riggs will serve out the remainder of Justice Morgan’s term through the end of 2024.
“Once again, SCSJ is extremely proud of Judge Riggs,” Ryan Roberson, Executive Director of SCSJ, said. “Given her knowledge, experience, work ethic and love of North Carolina and its people, we know that she will be incredibly and immediately additive to the important work of the NC Supreme Court.”
Prior to being appointed to the Court of Appeals in January 2023, Riggs led the Voting Rights Program at SCSJ and served as Co-Executive Director for the entire organization. Her voting rights work for the near 15 years she was at SCSJ was focused on fighting for fair redistricting plans, fighting against voter suppression, and advocating for electoral reforms that would expand access to voting. She argued twice before the U.S. Supreme Court in high profile redistricting cases and most recently served as lead counsel on the Moore v. Harper case, which resulted in a major victory for voting rights this summer.
“Governor Cooper’s faith in me and the excitement surrounding my service has been truly humbling,” Riggs said in the press conference announcing her appointment. “I’m also immensely grateful to the community-based organizations and leaders across the state of North Carolina who first let me represent them in their fights for justice and now trust me to ensure that the phrase ‘equal justice for all’ lives up to its promise in this state.”
Riggs’ seat on the Court of Appeals will be filed by former Superior Court Justice Carolyn Thompson.