James G. Exum

James Gooden 'Jim' Exum Jr.[1] (born September 14, 1935) is an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice and Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

After earning his law degree at the New York University School of Law, Exum clerked for North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Emery B. Denny. He was briefly a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives before serving as a state Superior Court judge. Exum served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1974 to 1986 and as Chief Justice from late 1986 to January 1, 1995. Under his leadership, the Court "expanded civil rights, took a new approach to criminal justice, and increased available remedies in tort law." Associate Justice Mark A. Davis has compared the Exum Court to the Warren Court at the federal level.[2]

He has also been an instructor at the law schools of both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and is currently in residence at the Elon University School of Law.

Exum has participated in research regarding state constitutions, including providing the introductory article "Rediscovering State Constitutions"[3] for the University of North Carolina's 1992 law review issue[4] on the subject. The issue also includes a foreword by Supreme Court Justice William Brennan,[5] who Exum cites as a substantial influence.[6] In 2009, Exum received the 2009 John McNeill Smith Jr., Award from the North Carolina Bar Association's Constitutional Rights and Responsibilities Section. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to the ideals embodied in the Constitution of the United States and North Carolina.

In 2006 Exum joined the faculty of Elon University's new law school as Distinguished Jurist in Residence,[7] helping with appellate practice instruction and teaching courses such as legal skills, professional responsibility and legal ethics, while continuing to practice at the law firm Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP.[8]