John S. Hindsman Jr.
Murphy – Superior Court Judge William Coward is retiring halfway through his term, with one lawyer throwing his name into the hat to fill the looming vacancy.
No information was available about Coward’s retirement from the bench other than from a release from senior assistant district attorney John Hindsman, Jr., who mentioned the retirement in announcing his candidacy.
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After Coward’s retirement, Gov. Roy Cooper may appoint his replacement, who can then seek election during the November 2024 election cycle. Hindsman said he intends to do both.
“I am seeking the appointment from Gov. Cooper and, regardless of his decision, will seek election to the position next November.” Hindsman said.
Coward has served as a Superior Court judge since he was appointed to the bench on the Eighth Division by then-Gov. Pat McCrory in 2013. He ran for re-election in 2014 unopposed.
In 2018, the N.C. General Assembly revised the state Superior Court, District Court and prosecutorial districts, and Coward’s seat on the Eighth Division was absorbed into the Fifth Division.
He has served as a N.C. Fifth Superior Court Division Judicial District 30A judge since 2019. The division covers the five westernmost counties of Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon and Swain.
Coward received his undergraduate degree from Davidson College and received his J.D. degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. He practiced law with his firm – Coward, Hicks & Silver – for more than 25 years. He also served as town attorney for Highlands.
Hindsman is a Clay County Republican and a major in the Army Reserve. He has been a prosecutor for 13 years in his civilian live, and a judge advocate in the Army Reserve.
Hindsman began his career in the then-Ninth Prosecutorial District under District Attorney Sam Currin, prosecuting misdemeanor and felony cases primarily in Vance County.
Hindsman joined the District Attorney’s Office in western North Carolina in 2014. When District Attorney Ashley Welch was elected, she kept Hindsman on staff, assigning him to felony prosecutions in Superior Court in Cherokee and Clay Counties.
“It was my dream job, to come home and serve the people and community that I grew up with,” Hindsman said.
As part of this assignment, Hindsman implemented the first Administrative Case Management System for Superior Court, which has since been adopted in all five western counties.
In 2018, Hindsman was reassigned as the senior assistant district attorney for Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon and Swain counties tasked with supervising attorneys and staff assigned to Superior Court in those counties as well as handling high-profile cases, such as sexual assaults, homicides and drug trafficking. He has handled numerous murders and sexual assault cases in all five counties, including several death penalty eligible.