Hayesville – A decision by Republican Party executive committees over who to recommend to fill retired Superior Court Judge William Coward’s seat will be made on Feb. 24 at party headquarters.
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That recommendation will be forwarded to Gov. Roy Cooper, who will make the appointment. Coward is a Republican, so his replacement will also be a member of that party.
Two people, assistant district attorney John Hindsman and District Court Judge Tessa Sellers, have applied for the appointment.
Hindsman announced his retirement to clerks of court in his district, Judicial District 43A, in a letter dated Dec. 6. District 43A includes Cherokee, Graham, Clay, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. His retirement was effective Feb. 1, but his last effective day at work was Jan. 5.
Hindsman announced he applied for the open seat on Jan. 10. The Cherokee Scout reported the application in its Jan. 17 edition.
Sellers notified the Scout on Feb. 13. She is a Clay County native.
“Judge Sellers has the judicial experience to hit the ground running for any case that may come before her in her courtroom,” she said in her release. “During her time as a District Court judge, she has presided over thousands of cases.”
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She was appointed in 2014, then was elected to the seat in a contested election in 2016 and two uncontested elections since then.
“I have been very blessed to have the opportunity to come home and serve the communities I grew up in and dearly love,” she said.
Sellers graduated from Hayesville High School in 1996, received her bachelor of arts degree in political science from Mars Hill College and her juris doctorate from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University.
After law school, she was an assistant district attorney before opening her own law practice with an office in Cherokee County. Sellers is one of six district court judges in the newly created 43rd District, formerly known as Judicial District 30A.
She has handled numerous criminal and civil matters, including juvenile matters, special proceedings, custody cases and equitable distribution before she was appointed District Court judge by then-Gov. Pat McCrory in 2014.
Sellers lives in Hayesville with her husband of 23 years, Joe Jack Sellers, and their two teenage children. She is active in the community and their church, Moss Memorial Baptist.
Whoever Cooper appoints as Coward’s replacement is expected to seek election in November.