<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000895419-09-000007
<TYPE>S-8
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>3
<FILING-DATE>20090127
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090127
<EFFECTIVENESS-DATE>20090127
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CREE INC
<CIK>0000895419
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3674
<IRS-NUMBER>561572719
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NC
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0628
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>S-8
<ACT>33
<FILE-NUMBER>333-156981
<FILM-NUMBER>09549149
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4600 SILICON DR
<CITY>DURHAM
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27703
<PHONE>9193135300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4600 SILICON DR
<CITY>DURHAM
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27703-8475
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CREE RESEARCH INC /NC/
<DATE-CHANGED>19940224
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</FILER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>S-8
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>forms-8.htm
<DESCRIPTION>FORM S-8 JAN 27 2009
<TEXT>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>forms-8.htm</title>
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    <body bgcolor="#ffffff" style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <hr style="MARGIN-TOP: -5px; COLOR: #000000" noshade size="4">
      <hr style="MARGIN-TOP: -10px; COLOR: #000000" noshade size="1">
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    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">As filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 27, 2009</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Registration
No. 333-__________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">UNITED
STATES</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Washington,
D.C.&#160;&#160;20549</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">FORM
S-8</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CREE,
INC.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
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          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
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      Carolina</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
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            </td>
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          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
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      or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
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      Employer Identification No.)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="41%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4600
      Silicon Drive</font></div>
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      North Carolina</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
              </div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">27703</font></div>
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          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="41%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Address
      of Principal Executive Offices)</font></div>
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            <td valign="top" width="38%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(Zip
      Code)</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CREE,
INC. 2004 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(AS
AMENDED)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Full
title of the plan)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">John T.
Kurtzweil</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Executive
Vice President &#8211; Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Cree,
Inc.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">4600
Silicon Drive</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Durham, North Carolina</font>
27703</font></div>
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313-5300</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Name,
address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for
service)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Copy
to:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Adam H.
Broome, Esq.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Cree,
Inc.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">4600
Silicon Drive</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Durham, North Carolina</font>
27703</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definitions of &#8220;large accelerated filer,&#8221; &#8220;accelerated filer&#8221; and &#8220;smaller
reporting company&#8221; in Rule&#160;12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check
one):</font></div>
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            <tr>
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      accelerated filer&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">x</font></font></div>
              </td>
              <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="25%">
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      filer&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o</font></font></div>
              </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="24%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 1pt">&#160;</font>Non-accelerated
      filer&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o</font></font></div>
              </td>
              <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="35%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 1pt">&#160;</font>(Do not check if a
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              <td align="left" valign="top" width="25%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 1pt">&#160;</font>Smaller reporting
      company&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: wingdings">o</font></font></div>
              </td>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">______________________________</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div><br>
      <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
        <div id="FTR">
          <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
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          </div>
          <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
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          </div>
        </div>
        <div id="HDR">
          <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
          <tr>
            <td colspan="5" valign="top" width="88%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
              </div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">CALCULATION
      OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
              </div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="21%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Title
      of securities</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">to
      be registered</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="13%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amount
      to be</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">registered</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="21%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Proposed
      maximum offering</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">price
      per share</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="18%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Proposed
      maximum</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">aggregate
      offering price</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="14%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amount
      of</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">registration
      fee</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="21%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
              </div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 9pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 9pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Common
      Stock,</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 9pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$0.00125
      par value (1)</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 9pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="13%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
              </div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">3,156,264
      (2)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="21%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
              </div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$17.09&#160;(3)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="18%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
              </div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$53,940,551.76&#160;(3)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="14%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
              </div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">$2,119.86&#160;(3)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" colspan="5" valign="top" width="88%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
              </div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt; TEXT-INDENT: -27pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(1)
      Each share of Common Stock issued by the Registrant includes one right to
      purchase a fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock.&#160; Prior to
      the occurrence of certain events, the preferred stock purchase rights will
      not&#160;be exercisable or evidenced separately from the
      Common&#160;Stock.&#160; Accordingly, no additional registration&#160;fee
      is required.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" colspan="5" valign="top" width="88%" style="PADDING-LEFT: 0pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt; TEXT-INDENT: -27pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.15; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(2)&#160;Includes
      (a) 3,000,000 additional shares that are authorized for issuance under the
      Registrant's 2004 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and
      approved by the&#160;Registrant's shareholders at the annual meeting of
      shareholders held on October 30, 2008 (the "Plan") and (b) 156,264 shares
      carried forward from the Registrant's Amended and Restated Equity
      Compensation Plan, which were subject to&#160;options that expired, were
      cancelled or otherwise terminated unexercised for any reason on or after
      December 31, 2007.&#160; In addition, pursuant to Rule&#160;416(a) under
      the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), this
      Registration Statement also covers such additional shares&#160;of Common
      Stock as may be issued to prevent dilution of the shares of Common Stock
      covered hereby&#160;resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or
      similar transactions.</font></div>
              </div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" colspan="5" valign="top" width="88%" style="PADDING-LEFT: 0pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt; TEXT-INDENT: -27pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">(3)&#160;Calculated
      solely for the purpose of this offering pursuant to Rule 457(h) on the
      basis of the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as
      reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on January 20,
      2009.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div>
      <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
        <div id="FTR">
          <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
          </div>
        </div>
        <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
          <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">- 2
-</font></div>
          <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
            <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
          </div>
        </div>
        <div id="HDR">
          <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PART
I</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE 10(a) PROSPECTUS</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">This
Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed by Cree, Inc. (&#8220;the
Registrant&#8221;) to register 3,156,264 shares of the Common Stock of the Registrant,
$0.00125 par value, issuable under the Cree, Inc. 2004 Long-Term Incentive
Compensation Plan, as amended (the &#8220;Plan&#8221;). As permitted by the rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#8220;Commission&#8221;), this Registration
Statement omits the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 and consists of
only those items required by General Instruction E to Form S-8.&#160;&#160;The
document containing the information specified in Part I will be delivered to the
participants in the Plan as required by Rule 428(b) under the Securities
Act.&#160;&#160;This document&#160;is not being filed with the Commission as
part of this Registration Statement or as a prospectus or prospectus supplement
pursuant to Rule 424.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PART
II</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Pursuant
to General Instruction E of Form S-8, the prior Registration Statements relating
to the Plan, Registration Nos. 333-122073, 333-136903&#160;and
333-148927&#160;filed with the Commission on January 14, 2005, August 25, 2006
and January 29, 2008, remain effective, and the contents of such Registration
Statements are incorporated in this Registration Statement by this
reference.</font></div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <table bgcolor="white" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="35%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
          <tr bgcolor="white" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify;">
            <td width="5%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2">Item
      3.</font></font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 27pt">&#160;</font></td>
            <td width="30%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;<font size="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Incorporation of Documents by
      Reference</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">.</font></font></td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
following documents filed with the Commission are hereby incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(a)</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
Registrant&#8217;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 29, 2008,
filed with the Commission on August 20, 2008;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(b)</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
Registrant&#8217;s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 28,
2008, filed&#160;with the Commission on October 23, 2008, and for the quarter
ended December 28, 2008, filed with the Commission on January 21,
2009;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(c)</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
Registrant&#8217;s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on July 30, 2008,&#160;August 19,
2008, August 22, 2008, September 29, 2008,&#160;October 31, 2008 and December
31, 2008;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(d)</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
description of the Registrant&#8217;s Common Stock contained in the Registrant&#8217;s
Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on January 29, 1993, and any amendments
or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description; and</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(e)</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
description of the rights attached to the Registrant&#8217;s Common Stock contained in
the Registrant&#8217;s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on May 30, 2002, and
any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such
description.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">In
addition, all documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the &#8220;Exchange Act&#8221;), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters
all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date
of filing of such documents.&#160;&#160;However, any documents or portions
thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not
deemed &#8220;filed&#8221; with the Commission, including without limitation any information
furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits
furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K, shall not be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
        <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
          <div id="FTR">
            <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
          </div>
          <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
            <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">- 3
-</font></div>
            <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
              <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
            </div>
          </div>
          <div id="HDR">
            <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Any
statement in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purposes of this
Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
other subsequently filed document which also is incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
statement.&#160;&#160;Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be
deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.</font></div>
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
      <table bgcolor="white" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="35%">
          <tr bgcolor="white">
            <td width="5%">&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2">Item
      5.</font></font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 27pt">&#160;</font></td>
            <td width="30%">&#160;<font size="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Interests of Named Experts and
      Counsel.</font></font></td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>The validity of the securities being
registered by this Registration Statement will be passed upon for the Registrant
by Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &amp; Jernigan, L.L.P., Raleigh,
North Carolina.&#160;&#160;As of the date of this Registration Statement,
certain current individual attorneys with Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett,
Mitchell &amp; Jernigan, L.L.P. beneficially own an aggregate of 3,050 shares of
the Registrant&#8217;s Common Stock.</font></div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <table bgcolor="white" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="35%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
          <tr bgcolor="white" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify;">
            <td width="5%">&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2">Item
      8.</font></font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 27pt">&#160;</font></td>
            <td width="30%">&#160;<font size="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Exhibits.</font></font></td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                  <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                          <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                                <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                                  <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                                    <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Exhibit
    No.</font></font></div>
                                          </td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Description</font></font></div>
                                          </td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.1</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Rights
      Agreement, dated as of May 30, 2002, between the Registrant and American
      Stock Transfer &amp; Trust Company, including the form of Rights
      Certificate and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock,
      attached thereto as Exhibits B&#160;and C, respectively (incorporated
      herein by reference to Exhibit 4.01 to the Registrant&#8217;s Registration
      Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on May 30,
  2002)</font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.2</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amendment
      No. 1 to Rights Agreement, dated as of October 16, 2006, between the
      Registrant and American Stock Transfer &amp; Trust Company (incorporated
      herein by reference to Exhibit 4.02 to the Registrant&#8217;s Registration
      Statement on Form 8-A/A filed with the Commission on October 16,
      2006)</font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">5.1</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Opinion
      of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &amp; Jernigan,
      L.L.P.</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">23.1</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent
      of Ernst &amp; Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting
      Firm</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">23.2</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent
      of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &amp; Jernigan, L.L.P.
      (Contained in Exhibit 5.1)</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">24.1</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Power
      of <font size="+0" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Attorney (Contained on signature page</font>)</font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">99.1</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.15; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2004
      Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (incorporated herein by
      reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K,
      dated October 31, 2008, as filed with the Commission on October 31,
      2008)&#160;</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">99.2</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Stock Option Award Agreement for Grants of Nonqualified Stock
      Options to Non-employee Directors (incorporated herein by reference to
      Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October
      1, 2004, as filed with the Commission on October 7,
  2004)</font></font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.3</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Stock Option Award Agreement for Grants of Nonqualified Stock
      Options to Employees (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to
      the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 1, 2004, as
      filed with the Commission on October 7, 2004)</font></font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.4</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Stock Option Award Agreement for Grants of Nonqualified Stock
      Options (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the
      Registrant&#8217;s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended
      September 24, 2006, as filed with the Commission on November&#160;2,
      2006)</font></font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.5</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Restricted Stock Award Agreement (incorporated herein by
      reference to Exhibit&#160;10.1 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form
      10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 25, 2005, as filed with the
      Commission on October 26, 2005)</font></font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.6</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Restricted Stock Award Agreement (incorporated herein by
      reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Registrant&#8217;s Quarterly Report on Form
      10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 24, 2006, as filed with the
      Commission on November 2, 2006)</font></font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.7</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Notice
      of Grant to Charles M. Swoboda,&#160;dated August 18, 2008 (incorporated
      herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on
      Form 8-K, dated August 18, 2008, as filed with the Commission on August
      22, 2008)</font></font></td>
                                        </tr>
                                        <tr>
                                          <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.8</font></font></td>
                                          <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt">
                                            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Master
      Performance Unit Award Agreement, dated August 18, 2008, between the
      Registrant and Charles M. Swoboda (incorporated herein by reference to
      Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August
      18, 2008, as filed with the Commission on August 22,
  2008)</font></div>
                                          </td>
                                        </tr>
                                    </table>
                                  </div>
                                </div>
                              </div>
                            </div>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                      </div>
                    </div>
                  </div>
                </div>
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        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5">&#160;</div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">- 4
-</font></div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
      <table bgcolor="white" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="35%">
          <tr bgcolor="white">
            <td width="5%">&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><font size="2">Item
      9.</font></font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 27pt">&#160;</font></td>
            <td width="30%">&#160;<font size="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Undertakings.</font></font></td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(a)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(1)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 81pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(i)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;
To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities
Act;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 81pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(ii)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;
To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume
and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering
price set forth in the &#8220;Calculation of Registration Fee&#8221; table in the effective
Registration Statement;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 81pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(iii)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to
such information in the Registration Statement.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 81pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">Provided, however, <font style="FONT-STYLE: normal">that</font></font><font size="+0"> </font>paragraphs
(a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be
included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant
pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act&#160;that are
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 81pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(2)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(3)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(b)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant&#8217;s annual
report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(c)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act&#160;may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">- 5
-</font></div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right">
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">SIGNATURES</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has
reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing
on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Durham,
State of North Carolina, on this 27th day of January, 2009.</font></div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify">
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="86%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
          <tr style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify;">
            <td valign="top" width="54%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td align="left" colspan="3" valign="top" width="46%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">CREE,
    INC.</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="54%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="40%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="54%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="40%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="54%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="4%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">By:</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="40%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1.5pt solid">
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">/s/&#160;Charles M.
      Swoboda</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="54%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="40%" style="PADDING-TOP: 3px">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Charles
      M. Swoboda</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="54%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="2%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="40%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chairman,
      Chief Executive Officer and
President</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that
each individual whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Charles
M. Swoboda and John T. Kurtzweil, and each of them, his true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any
and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration
Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed
by the following persons in the capacities and on the date
indicated.</font></div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">
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            <td width="1%">&#160;</td>
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">January&#160;27,
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
        <div id="FTR">
          <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
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          <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">- 6
-</font></div>
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          </div>
        </div>
        <div id="HDR">
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          </div>
        </div>
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INDEX</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
                <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
                    <tr>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="11%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Exhibit
    No.</font></font></div>
                      </td>
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                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Description</font></font></div>
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                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.1</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Rights
      Agreement, dated as of May 30, 2002, between the Registrant and American
      Stock Transfer &amp; Trust Company, including the form of Rights
      Certificate and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock,
      attached thereto as Exhibits B&#160;and C, respectively (incorporated
      herein by reference to Exhibit 4.01 to the Registrant&#8217;s Registration
      Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on May 30,
  2002)</font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">4.2</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Amendment
      No. 1 to Rights Agreement, dated as of October 16, 2006, between the
      Registrant and American Stock Transfer &amp; Trust Company (incorporated
      herein by reference to Exhibit 4.02 to the Registrant&#8217;s Registration
      Statement on Form 8-A/A filed with the Commission on October 16,
      2006)</font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">5.1</font></div>
                      </td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Opinion
      of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &amp; Jernigan,
      L.L.P.</font></div>
                      </td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">23.1</font></div>
                      </td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent
      of Ernst &amp; Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting
      Firm</font></div>
                      </td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">23.2</font></div>
                      </td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Consent
      of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell &amp; Jernigan, L.L.P.
      (Contained in Exhibit 5.1)</font></div>
                      </td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">24.1</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Power
      of <font size="+0" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Attorney (Contained on signature page</font>)</font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">99.1</font></div>
                      </td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.15; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2004
      Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (incorporated herein by
      reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K,
      dated October 31, 2008, as filed with the Commission on October 31,
      2008&#160;</font></div>
                      </td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">99.2</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Stock Option Award Agreement for Grants of Nonqualified Stock
      Options to Non-employee Directors (incorporated herein by reference to
      Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October
      1, 2004, as filed with the Commission on October 7,
  2004)</font></font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.3</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Stock Option Award Agreement for Grants of Nonqualified Stock
      Options to Employees (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to
      the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 1, 2004, as
      filed with the Commission on October 7, 2004)</font></font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.4</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Stock Option Award Agreement for Grants of Nonqualified Stock
      Options (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the
      Registrant&#8217;s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended
      September 24, 2006, as filed with the Commission on November&#160;2,
      2006)</font></font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.5</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Restricted Stock Award Agreement (incorporated herein by
      reference to Exhibit&#160;10.1 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form
      10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 25, 2005, as filed with the
      Commission on October 26, 2005)</font></font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.6</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Form
      of Master Restricted Stock Award Agreement (incorporated herein by
      reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Registrant&#8217;s Quarterly Report on Form
      10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 24, 2006, as filed with the
      Commission on November 2, 2006)</font></font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.7</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Notice
      of Grant to Charles M. Swoboda,&#160;dated August 18, 2008 (incorporated
      herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on
      Form 8-K, dated August 18, 2008, as filed with the Commission on August
      22, 2008)</font></font></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                      <td align="justify" valign="top" width="11%"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 27pt"><font size="2">99.8</font></font></td>
                      <td align="left" valign="top" width="69%" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2pt">
                        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Master
      Performance Unit Award Agreement, dated August 18, 2008, between the
      Registrant and Charles M. Swoboda (incorporated herein by reference to
      Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant&#8217;s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated August
      18, 2008, as filed with the Commission on August 22,
  2008)</font></div>
                      </td>
                    </tr>
                </table>
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    <div>&#160;</div>
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<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-5.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>exhibit5_1.htm
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT 5.1
<TEXT>
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  <head>
    <title>exhibit5_1.htm</title>
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    <div>&#160;

      <div>
        <hr style="COLOR: black" align="left" noshade size="1" width="100%">
      </div>
    </div>
    <div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Exhibit 5.1</font></font></div>
    </div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">SMITH, ANDERSON,
BLOUNT, DORSETT,</font></div>
    <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">MITCHELL &amp;
JERNIGAN, L.L.P.</font></div>
    <div><br>
      <div align="left">
        <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
            <tr>
              <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-TOP: white 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: white 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">OFFICES</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">2500
      Wachovia Capitol Center</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Raleigh,
      North Carolina 27601</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="24%" style="BORDER-TOP: white 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">January
      27, 2009</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: white 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: white 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">MAILING
      ADDRESS</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">P.O.
      Box 2611</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Raleigh,
      North Carolina</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">27602-2611</font></div>
              </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-LEFT: white 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: white 1px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
              </td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="24%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: white 1px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="25%" style="BORDER-RIGHT: white 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: white 1px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">TELEPHONE:
      (919) 821-1220</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">FACSIMILE:
      (919) 821-6800</font></div>
              </td>
            </tr>
        </table>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div><br>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Cree,
Inc.</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">4600
Silicon Drive</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Durham,
North Carolina 27703</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 72pt; TEXT-INDENT: -45pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Re:</font><font id="TAB2" style="COLOR: black; LETTER-SPACING: 0pt">&#160;</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Cree,
Inc. Registration Statement on Form S-8 </font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font size="+0" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Ladies and
</font>Gentlemen</font>:</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="left">
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">We have
acted as counsel for Cree, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the &#8220;Company&#8221;),
in connection with the registration on Form S-8 (the &#8220;Registration Statement&#8221;)
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#8220;Act&#8221;), of 3,156,264 shares of
common stock of the Company (the &#8220;Shares&#8221;), with a par value of $0.00125 per
share, for issuance under the Company&#8217;s 2004 Long-Term Incentive Compensation
Plan, as amended (the &#8220;Plan&#8221;).</font></div>
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">This
opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 8 of Form
S-8 and Item 601(b)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K.</font></div>
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">We have
examined the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company; the Bylaws of
the Company, as amended; the minutes of the Board of Directors of the Company
relating to the approval of the Plan and the authorization and the issuance of
the Shares; the 2008 Proxy Statement regarding the proposal of the amendment of
the Plan for shareholder approval; the minutes of the 2008 annual shareholders&#8217;
meeting approving the amendment to the Plan; and such other corporate documents,
records, and matters of law as we have deemed necessary for purposes of this
opinion.&#160;&#160;In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the
conforming to originals of all documents submitted to us as certified copies or
photocopies, and the authenticity of originals of such latter
documents.&#160;&#160;We have also received a certificate of an officer of the
Company, dated of even date herewith, relating to the issuance of the Shares
pursuant to the Plan.</font></div>
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Based
upon the foregoing and in reliance thereon, it is our opinion that the Shares
that are being registered pursuant to the Registration Statement have been duly
authorized, and when issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance
with the Plan as described in the Registration Statement and upon either
(a)&#160;the countersigning of the certificates representing the Shares by a
duly authorized signatory of the registrar for the Company&#8217;s common stock, or
(b)&#160;the book entry of the Shares by the transfer agent for the Company&#8217;s
common stock,<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">&#160;</font>such
shares will be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable.</font></div>
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;</font></div>
        </div>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="left">
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify" align="left">
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">We
express no opinion as to any matter other than as expressly set forth above, and
no opinion, other than the opinion given herein, may be inferred or implied
herefrom.&#160;&#160;This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of North
Carolina, and we express no opinion as to the laws of any other
jurisdiction.&#160;&#160;The opinion expressed herein does not extend to
compliance with federal and state securities laws relating to the sale of the
Shares.</font></div>
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">We hereby
consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and to all references to us in the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto.&#160;&#160;Such consent shall not be deemed to be an
admission that our firm is within the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Act or the regulations promulgated pursuant to
the Act.</font></div>
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Our
opinion is as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake to advise you of
matters that might come to our attention subsequent to the date hereof which may
affect our legal opinion expressed herein.</font></div>
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
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        </div>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 216pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Sincerely
yours,</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 216pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 216pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font size="2">/s/ Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell
&amp;&#160;Jernigan, L.L.P.</font><br><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><br>SMITH</font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">,
ANDERSON, BLOUNT, DORSETT,</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 216pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">MITCHELL
&amp; JERNIGAN, L.L.P.</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 216pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
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-</font></div>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 216pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 216pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
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<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-23.1
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>exhibit23_1.htm
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT 23.1
<TEXT>
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    <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Exhibit 23.1</font></font></div>
    <div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><br></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM</font></font></div>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
          <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">
            <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">We
consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form
S-8) pertaining to <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">the Cree,
Inc. 2004 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (as amended) of our reports
dated August 18, 2008, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of
Cree, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended June 29,
2008, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of
Cree, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.</font></font></div>
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        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 405pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">/s/ Ernst
&amp; Young LLP</font></div>
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        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Raleigh,
North Carolina</font></div>
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">January
26, 2009</font></div>
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