Roy Thilak Wijewickrama

Roy Thilak Wijewickrama is a Democratic‑affiliated jurist currently serving as a Superior Court Judge for Judicial District 43B, which covers Haywood and Jackson counties in North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper appointed him to the position in November 2024 to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Brad Letts ⁴⁵.

Wijewickrama earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from North Carolina State University and a Juris Doctor from Cleveland‑Marshall College of Law (Cleveland State University) ¹⁴. After law school he worked as an assistant district attorney for the 30th Judicial District, then spent a year in private practice with the firm Kersten, Davis & Wijewickrama. In 2008 he was appointed tribal prosecutor for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians by Chief Mitchell Hicks ¹¹⁰.

He was first elected to the North Carolina District Court in 2010, defeating Stephen G. Ellis with 53.88% of the vote and receiving an endorsement from the North Carolina Democratic Party despite the nonpartisan nature of judicial elections ¹. He was re‑elected unopposed in 2014, serving the 30th Judicial District, which includes Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties ¹. In January 2021 Chief Justice Cheri Beasley appointed him chief district court judge for Judicial District 30, overseeing the same seven‑county region ¹⁰¹².

As chief district judge, Wijewickrama has overseen a broad docket of civil and criminal matters and has been recognized for his deep knowledge of the local communities he serves. His 2024 appointment to the Superior Court expands his jurisdiction to the higher trial court level, where he will preside over felony criminal cases, civil disputes exceeding $25,000, and appeals from district courts ⁴⁵.

Throughout his career, Wijewickrama has combined prosecutorial experience, private‑practice insight, and judicial leadership, positioning him as a seasoned figure in North Carolina’s legal system.

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