Lawyer prepares to take the bench

Election night time this yr wasn’t the nailbiter for Gus Anthony that it was for candidates operating in opposition to opponents.

Anthony, who practices legislation in Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties, ran unopposed for Gaston County District Courtroom decide, changing retiring District Courtroom Decide Michael Lands.

Whereas a whole lot of candidates spent Election Day campaigning, the seasoned lawyer may very well be present in his pure habitat – the courtroom.

On Election Day morning, Anthony discovered himself within the Cleveland County Courthouse representing two males accused of homicide.

When Anthony discovered he was operating unopposed, he began working to both resolve his shoppers’ circumstances or get them reassigned earlier than taking the bench in January.

He appeared earlier than a decide to have his shoppers, Kevante Miller, charged with first-degree homicide in 2021, and Jerry Childers, arrested on a first-degree homicide cost in 2020, assigned new illustration.

Suspects in separate circumstances, Miller and Childers will get court-appointed attorneys to select up the place Anthony left off.

Along with his workplace in Gastonia, Anthony has extra circumstances to get resolved in Gaston County. Miller and Childers have been his final Cleveland County shoppers going through homicide prices.

In his new place, the 58-year-old lawyer will president over Gaston County District Courtroom circumstances together with prison, visitors and household court docket. As District Courtroom judges not often president outdoors their county, Anthony does not anticipate making as many journeys to the Cleveland County Courthouse as he is made in his 26 years training legislation.

Anthony sees his transfer to the judicial bench as the subsequent logical step in his profession, and he says working with the attorneys, judges and employees in Cleveland County has been a pleasure.

“They’ve a superb bar over there,” he mentioned.

He mentioned of us on the Gaston County Courthouse have been equally simple to work with, and he’d do his finest to shut out the remaining circumstances there earlier than placing on his black gown.

“I am nonetheless making an attempt to get a pair (circumstances) resolved earlier than stepping away,” he mentioned. “I nonetheless have one other month to attempt to get one thing labored out.”

Diane Turbyfill will be reached at [email protected].

This text initially appeared on The Shelby Star: Homicide suspects get new attorneys as Gus Anthony preps for the bench