From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Buncombe County District Attorney-elect Martin Moore is facing a legal malpractice and negligence lawsuit filed by a former client, Joseph Wayne Riddle. 

The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 14 in the Buncombe County Superior Court, seeks up to $5 million in damages for psychological distress and other alleged losses.

The core allegations are as follows:

• Missed deadlines: The lawsuit alleges that Moore missed multiple critical filing deadlines in an appellate case, leaving some cases between one month and a year “out-of-time” and putting incarcerated clients at risk of having their appeals dismissed.

• Lack of oversight: The suit also names Glenn Gerding, the head of North Carolina’s Office of the Appellate Defender, alleging insufficient oversight of Moore’s work.

• State bar complaint: In addition to the civil lawsuit, a deputy appellate defender filed a formal grievance against Moore with the North Carolina State Bar regarding his handling of the appellate cases.

The allegations first surfaced in March after Moore withdrew from five low-income appellate cases in December 2025.

At the time, Moore cited “unforeseen health issues” resulting from a November car crash, as well as campaign demands and the closure of his private appellate practice. 

While newly assigned attorneys noted missing documents, the courts ultimately granted extensions to resurrect the affected appeals.

Moore, a Democrat who currently serves as the vice chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, stated on Oct. 14 that he was unaware of the legal action prior to being contacted for comment by the Asheville Citizen Times. 

In an emailed response to the ACT, he stated he would reply to any valid legal action accordingly, but declined further comment, citing ethical rules regarding pending litigation. 

Moore has 30 days from the filing date to formalize his response in court.