Court of Appeals Judge Levinson Stepping Down; Heading To Iraq

NC Court of Appeals Judge Eric Levinson (who recently ran for the State's Supreme Court) is stepping down and heading to Iraq. He will be the senior U.S. Department of Justice official in Iraq, living in the Green Zone of Baghdad. Gov. Easley will appoint a replacement for Levinson, who would've been up for reelection for his Court of Appeals seat in 2008. Levinson's a Republican, so this move will affect the political makeup of the 15-member Court of Appeals.