Regent Law Alumna Judge April Wood Sworn In as North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (January 1, 2021) – Regent University School of Law Dean Mark Martin, who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina from 2014-2019, presided over Judge April Wood’s North Carolina Court of Appeals swearing-in ceremony on New Year’s Day. Wood, a 1997 School of Law alumna, won the seat during the general election in November. 

“It was an honor to swear-in Judge Wood. Her legal training and extensive experience on the District Court will be a tremendous asset during her service on the NC Court of Appeals,” said Martin. “She is an excellent example of how our students graduate from Regent Law prepared to impact the communities they serve by upholding the Constitution and serving as a guardian of the rule of law.”

Wood was first elected to the NC Judicial District 22B District Court Bench in 2002, serving the citizens of Davie and Davidson County for 18 years. Until the judicial district was split, she also served Iredell and Alexander counties. 

As a District Court Judge, she presided over domestic violence cases, cases involving the Department of Social Services, juvenile delinquency cases, child custody and support cases, equitable distribution of marital property, criminal cases, traffic matters, involuntary commitments, and other civil law disputes. She is a certified Juvenile Court Judge. Prior to being elected, Wood maintained a law practice in Thomasville, North Carolina.

“I am thankful for the voters who chose to elect me to Seat 4 on the NC Court of Appeals. I look forward to taking my knowledge ― gained from my training at Regent University School of Law and my many years of being a district judge ― to the court of appeals,” said Wood. 

The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Davidson County Courthouse; a reception followed at the Childress Vineyard’s Pavilion.

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Regent Law’s more than 3,300 graduates practice law in 49 states and over 20 countries and include 38 currently sitting judges. The School of Law currently ranks in the top 25 percent of all law schools for obtaining judicial clerkships and ranked 20th in the nation for Ultimate Bar Passage in 2019. The school offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.) in three-year and part-time formats, an online M.A. in Law, an online M.A. in Financial Planning & Law, an on-campus and online LL.M. in Human Rights and an on-campus and online LL.M. in American Legal Studies.

Founded in 1977, Regent University has more than 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from a Christian perspective in 135+ areas of study including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare and psychology. Regent University, ranked among top national universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2020), is one of only 23 universities nationally to receive an “A” rating for its comprehensive liberal arts core curriculum.