Kitty Hawk, N.C., attorney appointed to District Court

RALEIGH, N.C.

Robert P. Trivette was appointed to the District Court bench to finish the unexpired term of Judge J.Carlton “J.C.” Cole, who was appointed to the Superior Court bench in September.

The First Judicial District which covers Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties.

Trivette, 53, worked as an assistant district attorney in Dare County from 1991 until 2003, when he resigned to become a private attorney at Vandeventer Black firm in Kitty Hawk. He is the acting director of North Carolina operations for the private law firm.

He began his legal career as a judicial clerk to North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Gerald Arnold. While an assistant district attorney, two of his cases were featured on Court TV, a news release from the governor’s office said.

Trivette was the top vote-getter of three candidates chosen by the 1st Judicial District Bar in October, topping Elizabeth City attorney Mark Maland and Kill Devil Hills attorney Angelia Norcross. Though, the preference of the local bar does not necessarily affect the governor’s choice.

Trivette received an undergraduate degree from Virginia Intermont College in 1981, a graduate in journalism and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989.

He is married to Donna Epley Trivette.

In September, Cole was appointed to the 1st Judicial District Superior Court. A Hertford attorney, Cole had served on the District Court bench since 1994. He replaced Superior Court Judge Richard Parker, who retired Sept. 30.