Marcia Morey is a Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 30 in Durham County. She was appointed on April 5, 2017.
During the 2017 legislative session, Marcia was a honorary co-sponsor of House Bill 280, which raises the age of juvenile jurisdiction from 16 to 18. She has been a key player in a bi-partisan effort to make this happen. She currently serves on the Finance, Environment, Judiciary III, State & Local Government, and Pensions Committees.
Prior to serving in the General Assembly, Marcia served the 14th Judicial District Court as a district court judge for 18 years and as Chief District Court Judge for 5 years. Marcia worked with law enforcement, defense attorneys, and prosecutors to develop new ways to deal with 16 and 17 year-olds who had been charged with a crime. She spearheaded a program, called the "Misdemeanor Diversion Program (MDP)," that diverts these youths to education and community service programs that allows the teens to avoid a criminal record which enables them to find jobs and receive financial aid for college. MDP has helped over 300 youth and is now a model that has been copied across North Carolina.
In 1998, Governor Jim Hunt appointed Marcia as the executive director of the Governor's Commission on Juvenile Crime and Justice to reform North Carolina's juvenile justice system. During her tenure juvenile crime rates were reduced by approximately 40%. She previously served as an assistant district attorney in Durham and created the first diversionary program in the state (and second in the nation) for first-time youthful offenders charged with misdemeanors.
Marcia earned her undergraduate degree from Millikin University in Illinois, her master's degree in education from Reed College, and her J.D. from Northwestern University Law School.
Marcia grew up in Decatur, IL, the soybean capital of the world. Both parents were active in their community and taught her the importance of giving back. Morey is committed to carrying out that mission and has called Durham her home for the last 25 years. Her father was a World War II and Korean War veteran, attorney, and city councilman. At the age of six years old, Morey became a competitive swimmer. She went on to win 7 national titles, competed in two world championship meets, and was co-captain of the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1976 Montreal games.