Cases in District Court include custody and divorce cases, juvenile cases, traffic tickets, criminal misdemeanors, and general civil cases. These same judges also hold court in Granville, Vance, and Warren counties, which together with Franklin County, comprise the Ninth Judicial District. The district attorney s job is to prosecute those charged with criminal offenses in both district and superior court. Magistrates are officers of the district court, and as such, are subject to the supervision of the Chief District Court Judge. The number of magistrates allowed for each county is fixed by law.
Magistrates have jurisdiction in both criminal and civil cases.
Magistrates issue arrest and search warrants, and set the conditions for bail. The magistrate is the only civil official in the State that is allowed to perform marriages. In Vance County, the Magistrate s Office is located in the same building that houses the Vance County Sheriff s Department. A magistrate is on duty 24 hours a day. The telephone number is 738-9050.