| Chris Dillon | |
|---|---|
 Judge Dillon at the NC Court of Appeals in Raleigh, NC. | |
| Chief Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2024 | |
| Appointed by | Paul Martin Newby |
| Preceded by | Donna Stroud |
| Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Cressie Thigpen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Christopher Dillon 1965 (age 58–59) Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Ann Finley |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Needham Broughton High School |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BS, JD) |
Robert Christopher "Chris" Dillon (born 1965) is a North Carolina attorney and judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Dillon won election to the appellate court in a statewide race on Nov. 6, 2012, when he defeated incumbent Cressie Thigpen. Dillon won re-election on Nov. 3, 2020 over challenger Gray Styers.
Early life and education
Chris Dillon was born and raised in Raleigh, the youngest of C.A. and Mildred Dillon’s five children. He attended public schools throughout his childhood, graduating from Needham Broughton High School. Dillon earned his B.S. in Business Administration and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2018, Dillon graduated from Duke University with an LL.M. degree.
Family
Judge Dillon is married to Ann (née Finley), a special education teacher with whom he has had five children: Sally, Matt, Anna, Molly, and Sam.
Career
Following law school, Judge Dillon practiced law at Young Moore Henderson in Raleigh, focusing on administrative, business, and real estate law.
Judge Dillon has been licensed by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission as a broker for over twenty years and has worked as a commercial real estate broker where he created and managed a number of investment real estate entities.
In 2006, Judge Dillon helped start a community bank where he served as a Senior Vice President. In 2011, he returned to private practice, representing a number of small business owners, professionals, and a state occupational licensing board.
In 2012, Judge Dillon was elected to an eight-year term on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Judge Dillon has been an adjunct professor, teaching real estate focused courses at both UNC School of Law and Campbell School of Law. In 2018, Judge Dillon was awarded his LLM degree from the Duke University School of Law in the field of Judicial Studies.
Throughout his career, Judge Dillon has served on a number of civic boards and committees, including DHIC, Inc. (formerly Downtown Housing Improvement Corporation), the North Carolina Bar Association, and the Friends of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. He has taught youth Sunday School at Edenton Street United Methodist Church since 1990.
In 2020, Judge Dillon was re-elected to another eight-year term on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Following his re-election, he was appointed to serve as Chair of the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission
Electoral history
2020
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Chris Dillon (incumbent) | 2,769,020 | 51.95% | |
| Democratic | Gray Styers | 2,561,090 | 48.05% | |
| Total votes | 5,330,110 | 100% | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2012
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Chris Dillon | 1,779,906 | 52.74% | |
| Nonpartisan | Cressie Thigpen (incumbent) | 1,594,799 | 47.26% | |
| Total votes | 3,374,705 | 100% | ||
2010
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Cressie Thigpen (incumbent) | 395,220 | 20.33% | |
| Nonpartisan | Douglas McCullough | 295,619 | 15.21% | |
| Nonpartisan | Chris Dillon | 201,870 | 10.39% | |
| Nonpartisan | Anne Middleton | 174,556 | 8.98% | |
| Nonpartisan | Daniel E. Garner | 153,971 | 7.92% | |
| Nonpartisan | Jewel Ann Farlow | 151,747 | 7.81% | |
| Nonpartisan | Harry Payne | 99,257 | 5.11% | |
| Nonpartisan | Stan Hammer | 96,451 | 4.96% | |
| Nonpartisan | Mark E. Klass | 90,526 | 4.66% | |
| Nonpartisan | Pamela M. Vesper | 90,116 | 4.64% | |
| Nonpartisan | John F. Bloss | 78,857 | 4.06% | |
| Nonpartisan | John Sullivan | 69,971 | 3.60% | |
| Nonpartisan | J. Wesley Casteen | 45,610 | 2.35% | |
| Total votes | 1,943,771 | 100% | ||
References
- News & Observer: NC Court of Appeals: McGee, Bryant stay on; Dillon ousts Thigpen Archived 2013-01-02 at archive.today
- "Chris Dillon | North Carolina Judicial Branch". www.nccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
- Bios judicialstudies.duke.edu
- "Chris Dillon | North Carolina Judicial Branch". www.nccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
- "Chris Dillon | North Carolina Judicial Branch". www.nccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
- "11/03/2020 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
- "11/06/2012 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
- "11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byCressie Thigpen | Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals 2013–Present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded byDonna Stroud | Chief Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals 2024–Present |
Incumbent |