Ty Hands was appointed to the District Court bench in 2009 by Governor Beverly Perdue. She is married to David W. Hands of Hands Law Office, PLLC and they have one son, David William Hands, Jr. Ty was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She received her B.A. in English from Winston-Salem State University in 1996 and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law in 1999.
“I believe I bring a well-rounded perspective to the Mecklenburg County Bench. After graduating from Carolina’s law school in 1999, I served in two judicial clerkships, worked for a small and large firm, and built a thriving District Court practice from the ground up. I am connected to the Charlotte community through my involvement in various non-profit and community organizations, which gives me a heightened awareness of the varying needs in our community. I know about commitment and perseverance. As the first person in my family to go to college, I worked full-time (sometimes two jobs) to pay for college tuition and living expenses. I learned early in life about working hard to overcome the challenges and adversities that life sometimes presents. My legal, community and personal experience enable me to provide impartial, well-reasoned and balanced decisions as a member of the District Court bench."
— Ty Hands
Education
- Winston-Salem State University, Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, 1996
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1999
- Forester Instituto Internacional, (Costa Rica), fluent in Spanish, 2004 - 05
Professional
- Mecklenburg County Bar Board of Directors Member
- NC Association of Women Attorneys
- North Carolina Bar Association Member
- North Carolina Bar Association, “Pathways to Leadership” Scholar, 2008
- Bar 2010 Committee, 2006-08
- John S. Leary, Jr. Bar Assoc., 2007 Chair
- Student Defense Project, Volunteer
- Lawyer Referral Service, 2006-07 Chair
- Bar Leadership Institute, 2006 Graduate
- Student Defense Project Scales of Justice Award: 2006 Law Firm of the Year
- Mecklenburg County Bar Association 2007 Small Firm Pro Bono Award
Civic & Community
- NAACP Lifetime Member
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
- Winston-Salem State University Board of Visitors Member since 2008
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Volunteer since 1994
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee Member since 2006
- The International House Board of Directors/ Advisory Board member since 2005
- Rolemodels Board of Directors Member
- GenerationEngage Board of Advisors
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Domestic Violence Advisory Board, 2006-08
- Mecklenburg County Lunch with a Lawyer program Volunteer, 2007-08
- 2007 Woman of the Year, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Western North Carolina Chapter
- North Carolina Center for Women in Public Service Graduate, 2008
- Fellowship Home Board of Directors Member, 2004-08