Orr's justice

Many of Bob Orr's most noted opinions were dissents.

According to a review by the Asheville Citizen-Times of the Republican gubernatorial candidate's opinions while a Supreme Court justice, Orr is proudest of his dissents on the meaning of the state constitution.

"There was a theory … 'The king can do no wrong,'" he said. "Well, I don't buy into that. I think the king can do wrong, and if the king does wrong, the king should be held accountable to the citizens."

He also said that in decisions about restraining government, he got more help from his Republican colleagues than his Democratic ones. 

A sidebar to the story lists Leandro v. State, Hoke County Board of Education v. State, Stone v. N.C. Department of Labor, Maready v. City of Winston-Salem, Price v. Howard and Stephenson v. Bartlett as key decisions by Orr.