Sylva, NC
I am a criminal defense lawyer and have been for quite a while. As you would expect, I like this work. I am not judgmental in my work and stand with my clients, regardless of what they have been accused of or have done. I am able to provide my best help when my clients tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Both prosecuting and defending are essential for our system to work. The government needs to be represented, but I have chosen to represent the individual citizen when he or she is accused. Our system is a system of limited government and individual rights. Criminal Defense lawyers limit the government and stand for individual rights. It can be a tough job, but it has to be done and I’m pleased to do it.
My experience covers the field of criminal law and my current work hasn’t changed. Areas include D.W.I., other driving cases, Assaults, Probation Violations, Drug cases, etc.
I go to court in the 7 most western counties of the state: Cherokee (Murphy), Clay (Hayesville), Graham (Robbinsville), Haywood (Waynesville), Jackson (Sylva) and Swain (Bryson City). They are, more or less, arranged together in the Court system. I see the same judges in each of them. The District Attorney’s Office for these counties has branch offices but is one organization with one head District Attorney.
I am from Graham County. I grew up in Tapoco, which was then a very small town at the junction of the Cheoah River, Cheoah Lake and Calderwood Lake. It was a place to live for employee of Alcoa Aluminum, which operated Cheoah and Santeetlah dams and powerhouses. It remains the site of Tapoco Lodge but no longer has residents apart from the Lodge. I graduated from Mountain View School, Brevard College (then a junior college), Davidson College and U.N.C. law school.
