# Clifton Smith

Clifton Smith serves as a North Carolina Superior Court judge after earlier service as a District Court judge beginning in 2014. He is a graduate of Campbell University School of Law and completed his undergraduate education in North Carolina.

Special Superior Court Judge · [North Carolina Superior Court](/kyj/court/nc/north-carolina-superior-court)

## Clifton Smith at a glance

Current role

Special Superior Court Judge

Court

[North Carolina Superior Court](/kyj/court/nc/north-carolina-superior-court)

Current assignment

Superior Court Judge

Jurisdiction

North Carolina · State

Judicial service

Active

## Biography

### Professional career

- 25th Judicial District Court of North Carolina, a position he has held since March 11, 2014, when Governor Pat McCrory appointed him to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge L. Suzanne Owsley

- In 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly appointed Judge Smith to the Judicial Standards Commission, a body that investigates complaints and makes recommendations to the North Carolina Supreme Court regarding judicial conduct

- Clifton H. Smith is a district court judge for North Carolina’s 25th Judicial District, covering Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties, appointed in 2014 and re‐elected in 2018 and 2022

- Earlier in his career, he served as an attorney at Pendleton, Pendleton & Deaton

### Education

### Additional information

- Before joining the judiciary, Smith was Chief Assistant District Attorney for the 25th Prosecutorial District.

## Applicable Court Rules & Procedures

Rules last checked July 26, 2026 .

### Remote appearances

North Carolina law permits judicial officials to conduct proceedings by audio and video transmission, subject to statutory safeguards and case-specific limits.

For North Carolina civil jury proceedings, remote witness testimony requires a record finding of good cause.

North Carolina audio/video proceedings must use videoconferencing applications approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

### Recording and broadcasting

North Carolina Judicial Branch guidance distinguishes official court reporters, digital recording technicians, and later transcription of official recordings.

North Carolina states that not all court proceedings are recorded and identifies when audio recordings may be requested from the clerk.

## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

North Carolina Superior Court

Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim.  Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.

## Sources

Identity source checked July 26, 2026 .

Biography sources checked July 26, 2026 .

### North Carolina Judicial Branch official judicial roster

Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

### G.S. 7A-49.6. Proceedings conducted by audio and video transmission.

Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

### Obtaining Court Records

Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026

[Public Records & Data Use](/public-records-data-use) · [Corrections policy](/corrections)