A semiconductor switching device, comprising: a wide band-gap drift layer (220,520) having a first conductivity type; a first wide band-gap well region (230,530) having a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type; a second wide band-gap well region (235,535) having the second conductivity type; both wide band-gap well regions being disposed on or in the wide band-gap drift layer; a first wide band-gap source/drain region (250,550) having the first conductivity type; a second wide band-gap source/drain region (255,555) having the first conductivity type; both wide band-gap source/drain regions being disposed on or in the corresponding first and second wide band-gap well regions; a wide band-gap JFET region (342,346,348,542,546,548) having the first conductivity type between the first and second well regions; a gate insulation layer (270,570) on the wide band-gap JFET region and the first and second wide band-gap well regions; and a gate electrode (280,580) on the gate insulation layer; wherein a first local JFET region (346,546) of the JFET region that is adjacent a side surface of the first well region and a second local JFET region (348,548) of the JFET region that is adjacent a side surface of the second well region have doping concentrations that exceed a doping concentration of a central portion of the JFET region that is between the first and second local JFET regions of the JFET region, the first and second local JFET regions of the JFET region extending at least partially underneath the first and second wide band-gap well regions, respectively; and wherein the lower portions of the first and second local JFET regions that are adjacent the wide band-gap drift layer are more heavily doped than an upper portion of the local JFET regions. a wide band-gap drift layer (220,520) having a first conductivity type; a first wide band-gap well region (230,530) having a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type; a second wide band-gap well region (235,535) having the second conductivity type; both wide band-gap well regions being disposed on or in the wide band-gap drift layer; a first wide band-gap source/drain region (250,550) having the first conductivity type; a second wide band-gap source/drain region (255,555) having the first conductivity type; both wide band-gap source/drain regions being disposed on or in the corresponding first and second wide band-gap well regions; a wide band-gap JFET region (342,346,348,542,546,548) having the first conductivity type between the first and second well regions; a gate insulation layer (270,570) on the wide band-gap JFET region and the first and second wide band-gap well regions; and a gate electrode (280,580) on the gate insulation layer; wherein a first local JFET region (346,546) of the JFET region that is adjacent a side surface of the first well region and a second local JFET region (348,548) of the JFET region that is adjacent a side surface of the second well region have doping concentrations that exceed a doping concentration of a central portion of the JFET region that is between the first and second local JFET regions of the JFET region, the first and second local JFET regions of the JFET region extending at least partially underneath the first and second wide band-gap well regions, respectively; and wherein the lower portions of the first and second local JFET regions that are adjacent the wide band-gap drift layer are more heavily doped than an upper portion of the local JFET regions.