The Hon. Richard B. Abernethy (Ret.) served as a judge for the Gaston County District Court in North Carolina. Abernethy was appointed to the bench by former Governor Mike Easley in 2007. He resigned at the conclusion of his term on December 31, 2020.
Abernethy earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Wofford College in 1975. He then completed a J.D. at Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, in 1980.
After graduating from law school, Abernethy began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in the Gaston County District Attorney’s Office. He served in that capacity until 1982, at which time he entered into private practice. Abernethy specialized in real estate and civil litigation as well as traffic violations and minor criminal citations.
He is registered as a Democrat.