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Indigent Defense Services

The NC Public Defense System

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Filed Under: Announcements

The annual 2026 Spring Public Defender Conference convened Wednesday, May 6, in beautiful Cherokee, North Carolina. Following a moving and incredibly special opening ceremony given by members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Tribe, NCAPD President Deonte’ L. Thomas presided over the awards and election of NCAPD officers. *

Chief Justice Paul Newby selected Jason B. Crump, an assistant capital defender based in Forsyth County, to be this year’s public defense recipient of the 2026 Courthouse Employees Professionalism Award. The award was presented on the Chief’s behalf by James “Jimbo” Perry, Director of the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism and Capital Defender Robert Sharpe. 
This year’s winner of the Professor John Rubin “Ruby” Award for Extraordinary Contributions to Indigent Defense Training Programs was Laura Gibson, Chief Public Defender for District 2. Phil Dixon and John Rubin presented the award. The Commission on Indigent Defense Services voted unanimously to recognize Ms. Gibson with this honor at its February 2026 meeting.

Three awards were presented by the North Carolina Association of Public Defenders:

Stephen Mark Hagen, an assistant public defender from District 3 (Pitt County), received the 2026 Mary Ann Tally Award for Excellence in Advocacy, awarded by the NCAPD. Chief Bert Kemp and Jerauld Pafford presented the award. 
The Wallace C. “Wally” Harrelson Public Defender Award for Excellence was awarded to Matthew Schofield, an assistant public defender in District 42/former APD from District 1. Chiefs Tommy Routten and Beth Stang presented this award. 
The James E. Williams Award for Dedication in Fighting for Racial Equity in the North Carolina Criminal Justice System went to Ian Mance, former senior counsel at Emancipate NC, and was given by Mr. Williams. 

Newly Elected NCAPD Officers: 

  • Woodrena Baker Harrell, President 
  • Laura Gibson, Vice President 
  • Nicki Dobson, Secretary 
  • James Freeman, Treasurer 

*Special thanks to Becky Whitaker for capturing these moments
from the 2026 opening ceremony.