Cheri Beasley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cheri Beasley
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Beasley in 2023
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| 29th Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court | |
| In office March 1, 2019 – December 31, 2020 |
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| Appointed by | Roy Cooper |
| Preceded by | Mark Martin |
| Succeeded by | Paul Martin Newby |
| Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court | |
| In office December 12, 2012 – March 1, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Bev Perdue |
| Preceded by | Patricia Timmons-Goodson |
| Succeeded by | Mark A. Davis |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Cheri Lynn Beasley
February 14, 1966 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Curtis Owens |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Rutgers University–New Brunswick (BA) University of Tennessee (JD) Duke University (LLM) |
| Occupation |
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Cheri Lynn Beasley (born February 14, 1966) is an American lawyer and judge. She has held important roles in the legal system of North Carolina.
Beasley served as the top judge, called the Chief Justice, of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 2019 to 2020. Before that, she was an Associate Justice on the same court from 2012 to 2019. She also worked as a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals and as a district court judge.
In 2022, Beasley was the candidate for the Democratic Party in the election for the United States Senate in North Carolina.
Education and Early Career
Cheri Beasley studied political science and economics at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, earning her first degree in 1988. She then went on to study law and earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1991. Later, she earned another advanced law degree from Duke University School of Law in 2018.
After law school, Beasley started her career helping people who couldn't afford a lawyer. She worked as an assistant public defender in Cumberland County, North Carolina.
Becoming a Judge
Cheri Beasley became a judge for the first time in 1999. She was appointed to be a state district court judge by Governor Jim Hunt. She was then elected to that position in 2002 and reelected in 2006.
In 2008, Beasley was elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. This was a big step because it meant she was elected to a statewide office. She made history by becoming the first African-American woman to win a statewide election in North Carolina without first being appointed by the governor.
In December 2012, after four years on the Court of Appeals, Governor Beverly Perdue appointed her to the North Carolina Supreme Court. She was elected to serve a full eight-year term on the Supreme Court in 2014.
On February 12, 2019, Governor Roy Cooper appointed Cheri Beasley as the chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. This was another historic moment, as she became the first African-American woman to hold this important position. She ran for a full term as chief justice in 2020 but lost by a very small number of votes.
Running for U.S. Senate
In 2021, Cheri Beasley announced that she would run for a seat in the United States Senate for North Carolina. The U.S. Senate is part of the United States Congress, where laws are made for the whole country.
She won the Democratic primary election in May 2021, which meant she was the official candidate for her party. However, she lost the main election in November to the Republican candidate.
Personal Life
Cheri Beasley is married to Curtis Owens, who is a scientist. They have twin sons.
She often gives speeches at universities and events, sharing her experiences and inspiring students. For example, she has been a commencement speaker, which means she gives a speech to students graduating from college. She has spoken at Saint Augustine's University, the University of Tennessee College of Law, Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Central University, and Elon University School of Law.
See also
In Spanish: Cheri Beasley para niños
- Joe Biden Supreme Court candidates
- List of African-American jurists
- List of female state supreme court justices
- List of justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court
- Black women in American politics
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
