Judge Hathaway S. Pendergrass: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Hathaway S. Pendergrass is a judge for the 15B Judicial District Court of North Carolina. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Roy Cooper on June 12, 2020, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. James T. Bryan, III.

The 15B Judicial District encompasses Orange County and Chatham County.

Prior to his appointment, Pendergrass was an attorney at Epting & Hackney, a law firm he joined in 2012. During his tenure there, he handled civil litigation and criminal defense matters.

Pendergrass earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2006. He then completed a J.D. at North Carolina Central University School of Law in 2012.

As a law student, Pendergrass interned with the 15B Judicial District Court (2010), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (2010 to 2011), the Environmental Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office (2011), Baddour, Parker & Hine (2011), and the Wake County District Attorney’s Office (2012).

His memberships have included the North Carolina Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice. He has also been involved with the Orange County Planning Board as well as the Board of The ArtsCenter and the Board of Directors of the Orange County Rape Crisis Center.

When not presiding over legal proceedings, Pendergrass enjoys running, attending sporting events, and spending time with his wife, Kate, and their two children. Kate is a teacher at Carolina Friends School in Durham.