Morgan Hannan Swinson

Morgan H. Swinson is a Republican incumbent serving as a District Court Judge for North Carolina’s Judicial District 4, which covers Duplin, Jones, Onslow, and Sampson counties. She was appointed to the bench in February 2022 and is a candidate in the 2026 election for the same judgeship, seeking to continue her service on the district court bench ³¹⁰¹¹.

Swinson grew up in Duplin County and graduated from East Duplin High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from North Carolina State University and a Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law, completing the same educational path cited in multiple sources ³¹⁰¹¹.

Her legal career began as an assistant district attorney in the Fourth Judicial District, where she prosecuted cases in Onslow, Duplin, Sampson, and Jones counties. She later served as an attorney advocate for the Guardian ad Litem programs in Duplin and Sampson counties, representing the interests of children in family‑law matters. Swinson entered private practice, becoming a managing partner at Swinson & Atkinson, Attorneys at Law, and operating her own firm, Morgan H. Swinson, Attorney at Law, P.A. Since 2019, she worked as an attorney for the Onslow County Department of Social Services, handling a range of civil matters ³¹⁰¹¹.

In February 2022, Governor Roy Cooper announced Swinson’s appointment to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Sarah Seaton. She was unanimously selected by the attorneys of the Fourth Judicial District and was sworn in on March 11, 2022. Following training at the UNC School of Government, she began hearing cases in District Court. Swinson resides in Duplin County and emphasizes a courtroom philosophy focused on fairness, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility, stating her intent to “run the courtroom efficiently, saving time and taxpayer dollars” and to uphold the Constitution as written ¹¹.

Since taking the bench, Judge Swinson has worked to streamline court operations, maintain impartiality, and serve the communities of her district. Her background in prosecution, child advocacy, and public‑sector legal work informs her approach to adjudicating a broad spectrum of civil and criminal matters in the district court system.

Sources