I received my undergraduate degree in English and Criminal Justice from NC Wesleyan College in 1983, and my JD from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1986. I passed the NC Bar exam and obtained my law license in August 1986. I have served as a Judge Advocate for the US Marine Corps (1987-1991); as an Assistant District Attorney, Prosecutorial District 20 (1991-1994); as a District Court Judge, Judicial District 20 (1994-2006); Chief District Court Judge, Judicial District 20B (2006-2011); Superior Court Judge, Judicial District 20B (2011-2016); and Senior Resident Superior Court Judge, Judicial District 20B (2016-2019). Since retirement in 2019 I continue to serve as a Superior Court Emergency Judge. I am certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as both a Superior Court Mediator (July 2019) and a Family Financial Mediator (November 2019). I am married (43 years) to Kathy Keyser Bragg, have two adult children Ryan and Ellie and five wonderful grandchildren (Charlee, Hannah, Everett, Christopher and Cameron).