Alan Z. Thornburg (born January 10, 1967) is an American lawyer and jurist, formerly a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Born in Sylva, North Carolina, Thornburg earned a history degree from Davidson College in 1989 and a Juris Doctor degree from Wake Forest University in 1996.
Senator Terry Sanford and working in private practice in Asheville, North Carolina from 1997 to 2004, Thornburg was named to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2004.
In 2004, Thornburg sought a full eight-year term on the North Carolina Court of Appeals, but was defeated by Barbara Jackson in the statewide judicial elections.
[1] Thornburg is currently the senior resident superior court judge for Buncombe County.