Commissioner: Luther Johnson Britt III
Johnson Britt graduated from Wake Forest University in 1982 with a B.A. in Politics and he received his J.D from Campbell University School of law in 1987. He was admitted to the North Carolina State Bar in 1987 and the United States Supreme Court Bar in 1992.
Britt started his legal career in 1987 as an associate with Lee & Lee Attorneys at Law in his hometown of Lumberton, NC. In January 1989 Britt accepted a position as an assistant district attorney in the Robeson District Attorney’s Office (Prosecutorial District 16B) and served in that capacity until 1993. He then accepted a position as an assistant district attorney in the District Attorney’s Office for the 13th Prosecutorial District composed of Bladen, Columbus and Brunswick Counties. In 1994 he was elected Robeson County District Attorney and was appointed by Governor Jim Hunt to fill the unexpired term of his predecessor in December 1994. In January 1995, Britt was sworn in as District Attorney for his first term in office. Mr. Britt retired as District Attorney on January 1, 2019 after 30 years of service to the State. He now practices law in his hometown of Lumberton focusing on criminal defense.
While District Attorney, Britt served on the following boards, committees, and commissions:
North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys: Executive Committee member 1997, 1998 and 2000; Vice President 2000 – 2001; President-elect 2001 -2002; and President 2002 – 2003.
North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission, Commissioner (District Attorney Representative) 2007 – 2012.
North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, Commissioner (District Attorney member) 2015 to 2018.
In 1997, Britt participated in “Promoting innovation in Prosecution” sponsored by the Jefferson Institute for Justice Studies, Washington, DC and in 1999, he was a featured speaker for the National Association of Prosecutor Coordinators as well as the New York Prosecutors Training Institute, Inc. Management Seminar for Upper Level Supervisors. He has served on the North Carolina advisory Committee, Fight Crime, Invest in Kids since 1997 and he serves on the Robeson County Juvenile Crime prevention Council.
In 2018, Britt was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Roy Cooper and the Amicus Curiae Award by Chief Justice Mark Martin for his service to the State of North Carolina and to the courts.
He and his wife, Fordham live in Lumberton and are the parents of three children.
He attends First Presbyterian Church of Lumberton, where he has served as a deacon and as elder.