Roy Cooper
Encyclopedia
Roy Asberry Cooper, III (born June 13, 1957) is the current North Carolina Attorney General
. He is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party
.
, Cooper was raised in a rural community and worked in tobacco fields during the summer as a teenager. He received the Morehead Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, serving as the president of the university's Young Democrats, and then also earned a Juris Doctor
(J.D.) degree from UNC.
Cooper has a wife, Kristin, and three daughters, Hilary, Natalie, and Claire.
in 1986 and named to the North Carolina Senate
in 1991. In 1997, he was elected Democratic Majority Leader of the state Senate. He continued to practice law as the managing partner of the law firm Fields & Cooper in Rocky Mount, North Carolina
.
Cooper was elected North Carolina Attorney General in November 2000 and took office on January 6, 2001; he was re-elected for a second term in 2004. Cooper was mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate for North Carolina governor in 2008, but he decided to run for re-election as Attorney General instead. He was easily re-elected, garnering more votes than any other statewide candidate in the November 2008 elections. Both state and national Democrats attempted to recruit him to run against Republican Senator Richard Burr
in 2010, but he declined.
Cooper's third term has been highlighted by controversy surrounding the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation
. His political consultant announced in 2011 that Cooper would seek a fourth term in 2012
.
Cooper argued his first case before the United States Supreme Court, J. D. B. v. North Carolina, in 2011. The Court ruled 5–4 against North Carolina.
North Carolina attorney general
The Attorney General of North Carolina is the head of the state's Department of Justice and provides legal representation and advice to all state agencies. He or she does not have the authority to prosecute specific crimes unless requested to do so by a local district attorney...
. He is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party
North Carolina Democratic Party
The North Carolina Democratic Party is the North Carolina affiliate of the national Democratic Party in the United States. It is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are located in the historic Goodwin house which is located in the downtown area of Raleigh at 220 Hillsborough Street...
.
Personal life and education
Born in Nash County, North CarolinaNash County, North Carolina
Nash County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 87,420. Its county seat is Nashville.- History :...
, Cooper was raised in a rural community and worked in tobacco fields during the summer as a teenager. He received the Morehead Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, serving as the president of the university's Young Democrats, and then also earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.) degree from UNC.
Cooper has a wife, Kristin, and three daughters, Hilary, Natalie, and Claire.
Political career
After practicing law with his family's law firm for a number of years, Cooper was elected to the North Carolina House of RepresentativesNorth Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
in 1986 and named to the North Carolina Senate
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The...
in 1991. In 1997, he was elected Democratic Majority Leader of the state Senate. He continued to practice law as the managing partner of the law firm Fields & Cooper in Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Rocky Mount is an All-America City Award-winning city in Edgecombe and Nash counties in the coastal plains of the state of North Carolina. Although it was not formally incorporated until February 28, 1867, the North Carolina community that became the city of Rocky Mount dates from the beginning of...
.
Cooper was elected North Carolina Attorney General in November 2000 and took office on January 6, 2001; he was re-elected for a second term in 2004. Cooper was mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate for North Carolina governor in 2008, but he decided to run for re-election as Attorney General instead. He was easily re-elected, garnering more votes than any other statewide candidate in the November 2008 elections. Both state and national Democrats attempted to recruit him to run against Republican Senator Richard Burr
Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
in 2010, but he declined.
Cooper's third term has been highlighted by controversy surrounding the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation
North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is a state-level law enforcement agency in North Carolina. Within the state, the agency acts as a criminal investigation bureau, similar to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the federal level. The SBI is a bureau of the North Carolina...
. His political consultant announced in 2011 that Cooper would seek a fourth term in 2012
North Carolina Council of State elections, 2012
The North Carolina Council of State elections, 2012 will be held November 6, 2012 to select the nine officers of the North Carolina Council of State. This will coincide with the U.S. presidential election, U.S. House elections, N.C. gubernatorial elections, and the statewide judicial elections...
.
Cooper argued his first case before the United States Supreme Court, J. D. B. v. North Carolina, in 2011. The Court ruled 5–4 against North Carolina.