Will Bland seeks superior court judge's seat
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 27, 2015 3:05 AM
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Will Bland
Goldsboro attorney Will Bland says his 20 years of courtroom experience and commitment to the community make him the best qualified candidate for the District 8-B Superior Court judge's seat.
Bland, 55, a former assistant district attorney now in private practice, created a three-way race for the seat currently held by Arnold O. Jones of Pikeville when he filed Monday morning.
In addition to his law degree, Bland is a certified public accountant certified by the North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountants.
Jones has filed for re-election. Former superior court judge Jerry Braswell has filed as well.
Judicial races are nonpartisan.
At least three candidates had to file for a nonpartisan office to necessitate a primary that will be held March 15. In the nonpartisan races voters will select their top two candidates in each race.
Bland, who has litigated felony and misdemeanor cases in superior and district courts for more than 20 years, said he is the only candidate in the race certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a specialist in state criminal law.
"Cases in superior court are the most serious trials of all," Bland said. "I am committed to conducting superior court in a manner consistent with the laws of North Carolina and the United States Constitution to achieve justice, protect the public, and apply the law fairly and impartially. This has always been my goal in every capacity that I have served."
Superior court is also the venue for business and civil litigation.
"I do believe that in this race that I am the best qualified candidate," Bland said. "I have well over 20 years experience in the courtrooms, superior and district court and I have strong commitment to this community. I am a board certified specialist in criminal law. A lot of important things come into superior court, but among the most important are the criminal cases. I am certified there.
"I have been practicing from both sides of the courtroom throughout these years. I have represented a lot of different people including victims of crime. I want everyone to get a fair hearing in court and for justice to be administered fairly. I will be fair and impartial. That is the crux. I think a judge has to be honest, knowledgeable and fair. I aim and can do all of those things. People are entitled to be heard in court and it is important that people be heard."
The office also involves administrative duties.
"I have some business experience and am pretty good at math," he said. "My interest in being a judge follows; as we have discussed, I have worked in the courts for 20 years and am very much committed to fairness on all sides and at this point I believe I am experienced and qualified to be a judge and, in this case, a superior court judge.
"Filing is a real American experience. It is interesting and exciting. I took my son to see it. We have done the citizenship merit badges and you get to go up there and see it in action and go through the process and it is exciting. He has a lot of advice for me. He is fired up and I am, too."
A Goldsboro native and graduate of Wayne Country Day School, Bland received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Upon graduation from law school, Bland was inducted into the Davis Society, an honorary organization whose membership is based upon "integrity, leadership, dedication and service."
He also earned a master's in accounting from the Kenan-Flagler Business School in Chapel Hill. He graduated in the top 10 percent of his class and received the Outstanding Achievement Award at graduation.
Bland has been active in the community throughout his professional career, most recently serving as president of the Goldsboro Rotary Club, as a board member of the Wayne County Boys & Girls Clubs, and as the current scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 3, sponsored by First Presbyterian Church.
"I love eastern North Carolina and I love the law," Bland said. "Along with the men and women throughout this area who do so much in their lives and professions to protect our way of life, an effective judicial system is critical to maintaining our safety and freedom," Bland says. "I pledge to honor that obligation."
Bland is the son of the late attorney W. Powell Bland and the grandson of county Judge David H. Bland.
He has been married for 19 years to his wife, Ellen. They have two children, Jeff and Lucy, ages 15 and 12. The Blands are active members of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.
Bland is a member of North Carolina State Bar and has been a partner in Bland, Heekin & Stanley, PLLC since 2003.
He served as assistant district attorney for the Eighth District from 1993 to 1999.
He previously worked at Baddour, Parker & Hine and as a CPA with Pittard Perry & Crone, Inc. (now Carr, Riggs & Ingram). He also was a business analyst for Progress Energy.
He is immediate past president of the Goldsboro Rotary Club and a member of the local Alumni Admissions Advisory Committee of Duke University.
Bland is past president, vice-president and secretary/treasurer of the Eighth Judicial District Bar and of the Wayne County Bar Association.
He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Goldsboro Jaycees and was selected one of Five Outstanding Young North Carolinians by the N.C. Jaycees, 1996.
Bland has worked with Wayne Community College, the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity, Leadership Wayne County (regent) and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.