PETER KNIGHT
                                       Candidate for District Court Judge, Judicial District 29B


Age:
52

Family:
Peter and wife Amy are the parents of two small children

Education:
B.S. in Business Administration with Honors 1977
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Honors Thesis:  Foreign Direct Investment in North Carolina

J.D. 1980
University of North Carolina Law School at Chapel Hill

Professional:
Engaged in the general practice of law in Henderson County, NC, and the surrounding area from 1980 to the present

Criminal practice experience during the 1980's including misdemeanor District Court trials, and numerous Superior Court jury trials ranging in seriousness from shoplifting to murder

Civil trial practice including by example:  real property matters; wrongful termination of employment; defense of professional malpractice; family law matters, juvenile representation in matters of abuse, neglect and delinquency; personal injury and property damage matters; and breach of contract

Practice before the Clerk including pro bono adoption work; petitions to partition real property; foreclosures; estate disputes; and incompetency proceedings

Civil office practice including conducting title examinations and real estate closings; preparation of estate planning documents, including health care powers of attorney, living wills, and trusts; representation of developers in preparation of restrictive covenants and condominium documents; formation of subdivision associations, and representation of other homeowners associations; formation and counsel of incorporated and unincorporated entities; preparation of contracts for goods, services, employment and real estate; miscellaneous other matters encountered by a general practitioner

Judicial:
Served as a state magistrate in Henderson County, NC, between 1994 and 2007 providing the opportunity weekly to preside in small claims actions involving matters in controversy up to $5,000, in a wide variety of causes of action

Evening responsibilities as magistrate included determination of probable cause based upon officers' sworn testimony in thousands of cases; review of search warrants for adequacy; involvement with emergency juvenile orders, domestic violence events, and involuntary commitment proceedings

Community:
Service on local boards including Hospice, YMCA, Western Carolina Community Action, and United Way

Church:
Numerous positions of leadership; and Sunday School teacher