{"biography":"Jan Giacalone Kennedy is the incumbent Clerk of the Superior Court for New Hanover County, North Carolina, and is seeking re\u2011election 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\u2011support orders, and protective orders, and provides public access to court documents in accordance with state law [6].\n\nKennedy was born and raised in Wilmington, graduated from Hoggard High School, and earned a bachelor\u2019s degree from the University of North Carolina\u2011Wilmington. She has spent her entire professional life serving the same community, building a career inside the Clerk\u2019s 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\u2011elections for more than sixteen years [6].\n\nDuring her tenure Kennedy has overseen a staff of roughly 65 employees and guided the office through major challenges, including two hurricanes, the COVID\u201119 pandemic, and the state\u2019s largest court\u2011system overhaul. In February 2025 she led New Hanover County\u2019s transition to a paper\u2011less, digital eCourts platform, one of the most extensive updates in North Carolina\u2019s judicial history. At the same time she worked with local advocacy groups to create a secure, \u201csafe\u2011filing\u201d process for survivors of domestic\u2011violence seeking protective orders, and she re\u2011configured courtroom procedures to improve safety and efficiency [6].\n\nThe Clerk\u2019s Office also has statutory duties to maintain and make available certain public records, such as the \u201cIncapable to Proceed\u201d (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\u2019s public\u2011records requests, and it seeks a court order compelling compliance with the North Carolina Public Records Act [9][12]. Kennedy has not commented publicly on the lawsuit.\n\nKennedy\u2019s long\u2011standing service, digital modernization efforts, and community\u2011focused initiatives are central to her campaign platform, while the pending ACLU suit represents a notable legal challenge she must address if re\u2011elected. The upcoming election will determine whether voters continue her leadership of the Clerk\u2019s Office or select a new official to fulfill the office\u2019s constitutional responsibilities.\n\n## Sources\n- [6] [Re-Elect Jan Kennedy | New Hanover County Clerk of Court](https://reelectjankennedy.com/)\n- [9] [North Carolina ACLU sues New Hanover County Clerk of Court over public records | WHQR](https://www.whqr.org/local/2025-10-02/north-carolina-aclu-sues-new-hanover-county-clerk-of-court-over-public-records)\n- [12] [Lawsuit: ACLU accuses New Hanover clerk of court for \u2018withholding public records\u2019 for 2 years | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2025/10/02/lawsuit-aclu-accuses-new-hanover-clerk-of-court-for-withholding-public-records-for-2-years/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"clerk_of_superior_court","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"New Hanover County Clerk Of Superior Court"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Jan","fullname":"Jan Giacalone Kennedy","lastname":"Kennedy","middlename":"Giacalone","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"clerk_of_superior_court","contest_title":"New Hanover County Clerk Of Superior Court","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"new_hanover","office_key":"clerk_of_superior_court","office_title":"Clerk of Superior Court","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"new_hanover","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"clerk_of_superior_court","contest_title":"New Hanover County Clerk Of Superior Court","county":"new_hanover","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"new_hanover","office_key":"clerk_of_superior_court","office_title":"Clerk of Superior Court","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"clerk_of_superior_court","office_title":"Clerk of Superior Court","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Jan Giacalone Kennedy, Republican incumbent Clerk of New Hanover County Superior Court, seeks re\u2011election in 2026 after a 32\u2011year career and a recent ACLU lawsuit over public\u2011record compliance.","terms":[],"token":"8456e9a80f2682fb"}