Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

Judge Lisa Bell has served as Chief District Court Judge for the 26th Judicial District since January 2009, after she was appointed by Chief Justice Sarah Parker.  She has served as a District Court Judge in Charlotte since first being elected in 1998.  She presides over criminal trial, administrative and first appearance courts, juvenile abuse, neglect and dependency court, delinquency court, mental health commitment hearings and criminal and civil domestic violence courts.  Previous assignments include presiding over domestic cases, including custody, alimony and equitable distribution.  She has also presided over adult drug treatment court, family and youth treatment courts and mental health court. She is a state certified Juvenile Judge.

Judge Bell is a member of the North Carolina Association of District Court Judges. She also currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Child Custody and is a Member of the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation Health Care Advisory Board.  She is formerly a member of the Board of Directors of the Anuvia Prevention and Recovery Center. Judge Bell has presented at local, state and national conferences on topics such as  "Advanced Issues in Child Custody Evaluations," "Use of Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations," and "The Role of the Treating Expert in Custody and Visitation Disputes".  She has published in the Juvenile and Family Court Journal and co-authored the Standby Guardianship Act, published in Chapter 35A of the North Carolina General Statutes.

Prior to her 1998 election 1998, Judge Bell was in private practice as a civil litigator, a family lawyer and had also served as an Attorney Advocate with the Children's Law Center.

A native North Carolinian, Judge Bell graduated from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude.  She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina, School of Law.

When I was ten years old, my class had the opportunity to observe our local criminal trial court. I watched in awe as the judge heard the case, listened to arguments and rendered a ruling. That was the moment I decided I wanted to be a judge. My childhood dream was realized when I was elected to the Mecklenburg County District Court in 1998. Since that time, I have presided as a judge over every type of case in which the District Court has jurisdiction - criminal, civil, family and juvenile. My experience, temperament and institutional knowledge uniquely prepare me to continue to serve as a judge in North Carolina's largest judicial district. For nearly twelve years, I have remained committed to performing my job with the highest standard of competence, dedication, and fairness.

In December 2008, North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Parker appointed me as Chief District Court Judge. Since then, I have demonstrated decisive leadership, vision and a thorough grasp of the institutional needs of the system. Recognizing the need for well trained judges, I provided training opportunities for new judges during a time when budget constraints eliminated many judicial training opportunities. Recognizing the community and individual need for substance abuse treatment services, I expanded mental health and drug treatment courts. Recognizing the need for community safety and responsible use of limited public resources, I worked to improve judicial policy on setting bonds, while adhering to the law and Constitution. Recognizing the need for public trust in the courts, I have consistently maintained the integrity of district court, even in the face of personal attacks on me and public attacks on our system. Our courts need leadership, proven experience, and integrity. Those are the qualities I will continue to bring to my job as District Court Judge.