GUILFORD COUNTY N.C. -- North Carolina administrative officials said a new Chief District Court Judge, Teresa Vincent, has been appointed to fulfill former Guilford County Chief District Court Judge Tom Jarrell's term.

A recent autopsy revealed Jarrell died of a fentanyl, heroin intoxication.

Wake Forest University professor of legal writing, Abigail Perdue, explained how the new chief judge will take on any pending cases.

“They'll absorb those cases, they will familiarize themselves with the records in those cases, and then they will try to pick up the proceedings right where they left off in a manner that will really avoid any unnecessary delay or expense to the parties or that will not prejudice the parties in any way,” said Perdue.

Even though the court is equipped to handle this situation, the High Point Police Department said this is another reminder that there is a lot of work left to do on the societal issue of opioid-related overdoses.