Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

William G. Hamby, Jr. is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Education. He taught language arts and social studies in the public schools of Scotland County, North Carolina until he was called to serve on a jury for a second degree murder case. As a result of that jury service, he applied to law school at Wake Forest University, where he obtained his juris doctorate in 1983.

Following law school, he moved to Cabarrus County, near Charlotte to work as an attorney. The following year he was elected to serve as a county commissioner for the rapidly growing county. As a commissioner, he served as a founder and the first chairman of the local tourism authority for the county which includes the Charlotte Motor Speedway. He helped promote new economic development, including school expansions, two new water reservoirs and creation of the Concord Regional Airport. The airport is now the fourth busiest for take-offs and landings in North Carolina. He later served as a county attorney for the local Planning and Zoning Board, and as attorney for the Town of Harrisburg. He joined a local law firm, working in a wide variety of cases, including criminal cases, family cases, bankruptcy cases, general civil cases, foreclosures and traffic cases.

In 1994 he was elected to the state District Court bench in Cabarrus County. In 1998 he was appointed Chief District Court Judge by the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and has remained in that capacity under four state Chief Justices. This past year he served as the president of the North Carolina Chief District Court Judges association.

He is married to Vichele Henrie Hamby, and they are the parents of two children.

Of course, it is essential that a judge be well-trained in the law. But the most effective judges are experienced in law, leadership and life. As a graduate of the law school at Wake Forest University, I have handled and appeared in literally thousands of cases for over a quarter of a century. I have had over fifteen years of experience as a trial judge, and have achieved certification as a juvenile judge. I have served as Chief District Court Judge under four consecutive Chief Justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Over the last thirty years, I have served in a variety of leadership roles. Some of these include eight years as an elected county commissioner, a founder and first chairman of the local tourism authority, a town attorney, the attorney for a local planning and zoning board, a college trustee, a member of the local mental health agency, a member of the board of the Department of Social Services, an officer in local historical, charitable and religious organizations, a past president of the North Carolina college organization of a major political party, and service last year as the statewide leader of the state's Chief District Court Judges.

Equally important to the work of the court is the life experience of a judge. Over the years as a husband and father, a public school teacher, a homeowner, a business owner, and a cancer survivor, I understand the challenges of life that people face.

Each year the greatest number of cases are filed in the District courts of North Carolina. It is important that those cases be heard by judges who are experienced in law, leadership and life so that the rights of all those involved are protected and public order and confidence are preserved.