William Tripp Helms

Professional career

• Helms held the role of a District Court Judge for the 20B Judicial District (covering Union County) since 2007, appointed by former Governor Mike Easley and later re‐appointed by Governor Roy Cooper
• “Tripp” Helms III was a long‐serving district court judge for Union County, North Carolina, until his retirement in 2024, when Governor Roy Cooper appointed Christopher Gray to replace him
• He also presided over the 20D Judicial District and was appointed Chief District Court Judge for the 20B Judicial District in 2019
• Before joining the bench, he worked as an attorney for nine years and held the role of clerk of the Superior Court from 2005 to 2006

Education

Additional information

• On March 15, 2024, Governor Roy Cooper announced that Christopher Gray had been appointed to fill the vacancy created by Helms’ retirement.
• He was re‐elected in 2012 and ran unopposed in the 2016 general election.
• William F.
• His tenure included handling a wide range of civil and family cases, such as divorce matters
• His retirement marks the end of a nearly two‐decade judicial career in the 20B Judicial District
• He was a member of the Friday Fellowship for Human Relations and was active in community organizations such as the Monroe Rotary Club and the Union County Board of Education