Elizabeth Thornton Trosch

Elizabeth Thornton Trosch is a Democratic judge currently serving on the North Carolina District Court, District 26, Seat 11, a position she has held since 2009 with a term that runs through December 31, 2028. She is on the ballot for the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division, Judicial District 26H, in the November 3, 2026 general election ¹².

Trosch earned a B.A. in philosophy and social psychology from Hollins College in 1998 and a J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2002 ¹². After law school she entered private practice before being appointed to the District Court bench in 2009. In February 2020 she was appointed Chief Judge for Judicial District 26, officially assuming the role on April 1, 2020 following the retirement of Chief Judge Regan A. Miller ¹². She served as chief until April 2024, when the North Carolina Supreme Court removed her from that leadership position ¹²⁸⁹.

During her tenure on the district bench, Trosch has been re‑elected without opposition in 2020 and 2024, receiving 100 % of the vote in each contest ¹. She has overseen a Wellness Court that serves offenders with mental illness and has been involved in launching e‑Courts and other case‑management innovations aimed at reducing backlogs, especially during the COVID‑19 pandemic ⁸⁹¹⁰. In interviews she has highlighted the need for better resources to obtain complete criminal‑history information, improve pre‑trial risk assessments, and address housing, mental‑health, and substance‑abuse issues that affect community safety ⁸⁹.

In 2025 Trosch announced her candidacy for the open Superior Court seat (26H) that will be vacated by her brother‑in‑law, Judge Louis Trosch Jr., who is not seeking re‑election ⁹¹⁰¹². Her campaign emphasizes leveraging her nearly two decades of judicial experience to continue addressing court delays, expanding mental‑health‑focused programs, and improving the efficiency and equity of the state’s trial courts ⁸⁹¹⁰. The Democratic primary for the seat was cancelled, moving her directly to the November general election ¹².

If elected, Trosch would transition from the district court to the Superior Court, where she would handle felony trials, appeals from district courts, and other higher‑level matters, fulfilling the duties of a Superior Court judge as defined by North Carolina law. Her record shows a focus on modernizing court operations, supporting vulnerable populations, and advocating for sufficient funding and data to make informed judicial decisions.

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