Jan Giacalone Kennedy

Jan Giacalone Kennedy is the incumbent Clerk of the Superior Court for New Hanover County, North Carolina, and is seeking re‑election as the Republican candidate in the 2026 race for that office. The Clerk of Superior Court is a constitutional officer who maintains all civil and criminal court records, processes filings such as adoptions, estates, child‑support orders, and protective orders, and provides public access to court documents in accordance with state law ⁶.

Kennedy was born and raised in Wilmington, graduated from Hoggard High School, and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina‑Wilmington. She has spent her entire professional life serving the same community, building a career inside the Clerk’s Office that began in 1993 as a Deputy Clerk. After fourteen years she was promoted to Assistant Clerk in 2007, and in 2010 voters elected her as Clerk of Superior Court, a position she has held through successive re‑elections for more than sixteen years ⁶.

During her tenure Kennedy has overseen a staff of roughly 65 employees and guided the office through major challenges, including two hurricanes, the COVID‑19 pandemic, and the state’s largest court‑system overhaul. In February 2025 she led New Hanover County’s transition to a paper‑less, digital eCourts platform, one of the most extensive updates in North Carolina’s judicial history. At the same time she worked with local advocacy groups to create a secure, “safe‑filing” process for survivors of domestic‑violence seeking protective orders, and she re‑configured courtroom procedures to improve safety and efficiency ⁶.

The Clerk’s Office also has statutory duties to maintain and make available certain public records, such as the “Incapable to Proceed” (ITP) docket that lists individuals deemed mentally unfit to stand trial. In October 2025 the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina filed a lawsuit alleging that Kennedy failed to provide these records despite repeated requests dating back to January 2023. The complaint asserts that New Hanover County is the only county in the state that has not responded to the ACLU’s public‑records requests, and it seeks a court order compelling compliance with the North Carolina Public Records Act ⁹¹². Kennedy has not commented publicly on the lawsuit.

Kennedy’s long‑standing service, digital modernization efforts, and community‑focused initiatives are central to her campaign platform, while the pending ACLU suit represents a notable legal challenge she must address if re‑elected. The upcoming election will determine whether voters continue her leadership of the Clerk’s Office or select a new official to fulfill the office’s constitutional responsibilities.

Sources