06/30/2009

Associated Press

A former North Carolina Court of Appeals judge who stepped down to work in Iraq for the U.S. Justice Department has been appointed as a Superior Court judge.

Gov. Beverly Perdue named Eric Levinson on Tuesday to a vacancy in Mecklenburg County.

Levinson left the appeals court in 2007 after 4 1/2 years to become the senior Justice Department representative in Iraq. He's also consulted with court leaders in Afghanistan develop its civil court system.

Levinson is a former District Court judge and assistant district attorney.

While judgeships are nonpartisan positions, it's unusual that a Democrat like Perdue would appoint a Republican like Levinson to a judgeship. Perdue cited Levinson's broad judicial background is announcing the appointment.