Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

Personal Information

• Date of Birth:  August 17, 1954
• Occupation:  Attorney at Law
• Married to Debbie Aus for 33 years; son Erik - 11th Grade Durham Public Schools

Education

• 1977-A.B. Biological Sciences, Rutgers College, New Brunswick, NJ
• 1979-M.S.P.H. Environmental Sciences and Engineering, UNC-Chapel Hill
• 1985-J.D., UNC-Chapel Hill

Employment

• 1985 to date-Attorney at Law; Civil Arbitrator for the 14th Judicial District since 1992; Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorney for the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina since 1993; Admitted to the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit; Former Assistant Public Defender for the 14th Judicial District
• 1979 to 1982-Environmental Scientist-Pacific Environmental Services, Inc., Durham, NC

Activities

• Board member for Durham County Sentencing Services
• Truancy Court Judge for Northern High School, Durham, NC
• Volunteer Instructor for the S.T.A.R.R. Program (substance abuse treatment/life skills) Durham County Detention Center
• Former two-term member of the North Carolina State Bar Grievance
• Committee for the 14th Judicial District
• Former board member of the Durham County Criminal Justice Partnership
• Former board member of the Durham County Area Mental Health Board

I have filed for the Judge Bushfan District Court seat. I would welcome the challenge this job poses and I view it as a way of giving back to Durham in a small measure some of the blessings its has bestowed upon me.

I believe I have the qualifications to meet this challenge. I have been practicing law at the trial level for twenty-five years and, if elected, would bring a wealth of experience to the bench.

I have dealt with the effects of drugs, mental illness and violence in Durham both in court as an advocate for criminal defendants and through my volunteer service within this community. I also have been making legal decisions as an Arbitrator since 1992; this is where I am called upon by the District Court to preside over certain types of civil litigation and to determine which party should prevail.

I ask for your support in the upcoming election.