On Saturday, October 4, 2025, JournalNow reported that Judge George Cleland IV of the Forsyth District Court retired from his position. The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) confirmed that Cleland’s retirement took effect on Friday, October 3.
Cleland submitted his retirement letter to the AOC; however, the agency has declined to release the letter to the public. State officials cited that under state law, retirement and resignation letters from state employees are considered personnel matters and are not public records.
Governor Roy Cooper initially appointed Cleland as a district court judge in Forsyth County in September 2020. He filled the seat previously held by Judge George A. Bedsworth, who also retired. In November 2022, Cleland ran unopposed and was elected to a four-year term as district court judge. His seat was scheduled for election in November 2026.
District court judges in North Carolina serve four-year terms, presiding over misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases involving amounts less than $25,000. They also handle divorce, custody, and child support cases. According to the AOC, Cleland’s annual salary was $162,620.
Before his appointment to the bench, Cleland had been a solo practitioner since 2002 and had practiced law in Forsyth County since 1990, according to his biography. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Wake Forest University and a law degree from the UNC Chapel Hill School of Law. Cleland also served as the president of the Forsyth County Bar Association.
Source: JournalNow
