District Attorney Garland N. Yates is a native of Randolph County having been raised in Denton, North Carolina. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. In 1976 he received his law degree from Wake Forest Law School and was licensed the same year. Mr. Yates also served in the United States Coast Guard in the mid 1970s. He began his legal career in private practice for several years and was elected District Attorney in 1980. He took office on January 1, 1981 and has been re-elected in every election since then serving as District Attorney for 27 years. He is a member of the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, Randolph County Bar Association and Various Community Organizations. He was appointed by former Governor James Martin as a member of the North Carolina Courts Commission.