Patricia Timmons-Goodson, a retired North Carolina Supreme Court justice, will be the next law school dean at North Carolina Central University (NCCU).

According to the university, Timmons-Goodson will oversee fiscal management, personnel professional development, community outreach, fundraising, and more. 

“I’m very elated that former North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson will be joining our team at NCCU and look forward to working with her and her team as we advance the mission of the law school by preparing a significant cadre of the nation’s future jurists,” said David H. Jackson, Jr., Ph.D., provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.  

Timmons-Goodson has previously worked as a prosecutor; a legal-aid attorney; a district court judge; and an associate judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

In 2006, she was appointed to the North Carolina Supreme Court by former Gov. Michael Easley, becoming the fourth woman and the first African American woman in the role.

After serving a full term, she retired from the Supreme Court in 2012. Upon retiring, she served 28 years in the judiciary of North Carolina. She is currently a member of the American Bar Association (ABA) and co-chair of the board of the NC Justice Center.

She is also the recipient of many awards including, the Advocates for Justice- Appellate Judge of the Year, Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the UNC William R. Davie Award, the NC Bar Liberty Bell Award, and induction into the North Carolina Women’s Hall of Fame. She holds honorary degrees from Johnson C. Smith University, St. Augustine’s College, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill).

Timmons-Goodson received her bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and an L.L.M. from Duke University Law School.

She will take her new role as dean of North Carolina Central University School of Law effective July 1, 2023.