Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

I am running for re-election as a District Court Judge in Gaston County. I have been a District Court Judge since 2007 after having served as the elected District Attorney for Gaston County for sixteen (16) years from 1991 until 2006, serving four terms.

As Gaston County's elected District Attorney, I personally tried and prosecuted murder, rape, robbery, burglary, drunk driving, larceny, and domestic violence cases. I have tried cases from first-degree murder, where the death penalty was sought, to speeding cases.

Also as District Attorney, I gained administrative experience in supervising an office of 13 attorneys and 13 support staff. Before being elected District Attorney, I was an assistant Public Defender in Gaston County representing people needing court appointed counsel who were accused of crimes.

I am a 1981 graduate of Wake Forest University with a degree in politics, and a 1984 graduate of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law. I have 26 years of legal experience.

I serve as a member of the Gaston County Child Protection Team, the Domestic Violence Prevention Council, Gaston County Commission on the Family, and Keeping Families Intact. I am a member of the East Gastonia Rotary Club.

I attend Parkwood Baptist Church where I teach a children's first-grade Sunday School class, and where I have served as a Deacon, Adult Bible Study teacher, chairman of the Personnel Committee, and a children's sports coach.

I am married to Karen Barber Lands who works as a school teacher, and we have one teenage daughter.

District Court judges conduct trials and hearings and are the fact-finders and decision-makers in child custody, family law, child support, DWI, traffic, juvenile delinquency, abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and misdemeanor cases. They also preside over jury trials of civil cases.

I am a conservative, fair, and impartial, but tough, judge who seeks justice for all Gaston County citizens when I preside over a trial. Knowing that my decisions will affect the safety, best interests, and well-being of Gaston County citizens, my decisions are based on the facts, the evidence, and the law--not on who the parties or their lawyers are.

My 26 years of legal experience, along with my life experiences, have provided me with the knowledge, wisdom, and discernment to make these decisions on a daily basis.

In particular, my tenure as District Attorney provided me with valuable experience in making tough decisions, and that experience has enabled me to treat criminal, DWI, and domestic violence cases with the seriousness they deserve. If the burden of proof is met and a party is found guilty, I hold the lawbreaker responsible for his or her actions. I attempt to structure sentences, whether active or probationary, as an incentive for the convicted person to change his or her lifestyle and behavior so that there are no repeat violations.

My role as a father, children's Sunday School teacher, and children's sports coach, combined with my membership in Gaston County's Child Protection Team, Domestic Violence Prevention Council, Commission on the Family, and Keeping Families Intact, has given me a well-rounded perspective for determining the best interests of children in child custody, juvenile, and family law cases.

I am a hard-working, punctual judge who believes in efficient use of court time so parties can effectively present their cases in court.