Sen. Mohammed files bill in North Carolina Senate to expand emergency judge assignments

A new bill filed by State Sen. Mujtaba A. Mohammed in the North Carolina Senate aims to expand when emergency judges can be assigned to meet court coverage needs, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 1032 on April 30 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Modify Emergency Judge Provisions.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill expands the circumstances under which an emergency judge may be assigned by allowing assignment for any court coverage need as determined by the chief district court judge, in addition to existing specified reasons such as holdover sessions, administrative duties and judicial education or conflict-of-interest cases. It appropriates $500,000 in nonrecurring funds from the General Fund to the Administrative Office of the Courts for the 2026-27 fiscal year to cover emergency judge costs. The appropriation takes effect July 1, 2026, and the rest of the act is effective when it becomes law.

Mohammed proposed another 43 bills during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Mohammed graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2008 with a BA and again in 2013 from North Carolina Central University School of Law with a JD.

Mohammed, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2019 to represent the state’s 38th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Joel Ford.