Magistrates McNeill, Smith and Smith sworn in
By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
ROCKINGHAM — Danita McNeill, Robert Smith and Holly C. Smith took the oath of a magistrate during a brief ceremony at 8 a.m. Thursday inside the Richmond County Judicial Center.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Danita McNeill, Holly C. Smith and Robert Smith take the oath of a magistrate Thursday morning.
All three followed the lead of Clerk of Richmond County Superior Court Vickie Daniel, who administered the oath of office, in order to begin their two-year appointments in North Carolina’s judicial District 16A. McNeill has been serving as magistrate since 2013. Both Smith and Smith, meanwhile, were first sworn in on Nov. 10. They are not related.
Robert Smith was appointed to fill the unexpired term of John Searcy. Searcy died unexpectedly Oct. 2 at the age of 48.
The somewhat unorthodox timing of the swearing-in was scheduled to accommodate out-of-county New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day-related obligations by Daniel. She expressed appreciation for all three individuals being willing to work around her schedule.
While nominated by Daniel, Richmond County magistrates are supervised by Chief District Court Judge Scott Brewer.
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