CharMeckVotes.org

Superior Court Judge 26B – Candidate – F. Lane Williamson

Website: lanewilliamsonforjudge.com

E-mail: williamsonlane6806@gmail.com

Phone Number: (704)650-8064

Current Occupation: Resident Superior Court Judge

Education–Highest Degree: Juris Doctor With Honors

Most important organizations you belong to (up to three): North Carolina State Bar,
Providence United Methodist Church,
Boy Scouts of America

List up to three (3) of your most important political/civic accomplishments in the last five (5) years. (150 word limit): As chair of the Disciplinary Hearing Commission of the North Carolina State Bar, I presided over dozens of attorney disciplinary hearings, most notably that of Mike Nifong, the district attorney involved in the Duke Lacrosse case.
I was a founding director and later board chair of the Federal Defenders of North Carolina, Inc., the organization that provides legal counsel to indigent criminal defendants in this federal judicial district. Previously, the Western District was one of the few judicial districts in the nation without a federal public defender.
I was appointed in March of this year to my present position as a resident superior court judge based upon my ability and experience, despite my utter lack of political experience.

What qualities, other than obvious fairness and impartiality, will you/do you bring to the bench that makes you a good judge? (150 word limit): A judge is an umpire—not a player. As such, a judge should not draw attention to himself. The job of a judge is to make informed, accurate and timely decisions. By virtue of my education, experience and temperament, I am able to consistently make the right calls. I am an honors graduate of UNC School of Law where I served on the Law Review. In over thirty years of private practice, I handled all sort of civil and criminal cases, a background that serves me well as a judge where I may preside over civil motions court one week and a murder trial the next. I am a quick study and a good listener who treats everyone in the courtroom with respect. In endorsing me in the primary, the Charlotte Observer stated that “he’s got the whole package.”

How has the state budget crisis affected the judicial process in recent years? (200 word limit): The state budget crisis has come to the point where case outcomes that should be driven by considerations of justice are now being driven by economic considerations of supply and demand. For example, prosecutors frequently are forced to take dismissals and make plea offers that do not reflect decisions based solely on the facts and the law, but rather the reality that there simply are not enough courtrooms, prosecutors, clerks, court reporters and judges to try all the cases that otherwise should be tried. Demand for judicial resources has outstripped supply. Layoffs of court personnel such as clerks and court reporters have lead to the cancelling of court sessions. Technological innovation that could lead to greater efficiency, such as electronic filing, has been delayed. The problem of underfunding of the courts is exacerbated by the fact that the judicial branch—which represents only a tiny fraction of state spending—is at the mercy of the executive and legislative branches when it comes to its budget.

How can residents get involved in your campaign? Please include campaign manager or volunteer coordinator’s contact information.: Visit my website at lanewilliamsonforjudge.com. My campaign manager is Noell Tin, 301 East Park Avenue, Charlotte, N.C., 28203, tel. (704)338-1220, email ntin@tinfulton.com. My campaign treasurer is Gary Jackson, 225 East Worthington Avenue, Suite 200, 28203, tel. (704)377-6680, email gjackson@ncadvocates.com.