FREE 2026 Civil Defense Webinar

Registration for the 2026 Civil Defense Webinar is now open. Thanks to the support of the Office of Indigent Defense Services and the UNC School of Government, we are pleased to announce that there is no registration fee for indigent defenders who meet the eligibility criteria described below.

Agenda – 2026 Civil Defense Webinar

The 2026 Civil Defense Webinar will cover what attorneys who represent respondents in juvenile abuse, neglect, dependency, and termination of parental rights (TPR) proceedings need to know about records belonging to the department of social services (DSS). School of Government faculty Timothy Heinle will review both the law and practice tips related to confidentiality of and access to DSS records, discovery, the admissibility of records (including hearsay and hearsay exceptions), and judicial notice of previously admitted DSS records at TPR. This webinar will also include Annick Lenoir-Peek, Parent Defender with Indigent Defense Services, providing an overview of specific social worker duties found in the North Carolina Child Welfare Manual. Defenders will learn more about those duties, including where to find them and tips for how to use the Manual to strengthen their advocacy on behalf of parents. The webinar will be presented live and offers participants an opportunity to ask questions through the Q & A feature.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW & DATES: The 2026 Civil Defense Webinar will be on Friday, June 26, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. This webinar is open to public defenders, private assigned and managed assigned counsel and other attorneys who represent indigent respondents in civil matters, including but not limited to juvenile abuse, neglect, dependency, and termination of parental rights proceedings. Please plan to sign on 15 minutes before the start of the webinar to test your connection.

FEE: There is no registration fee for IDS state employees. There is no registration fee for private assigned counsel who do trial or appellate work, managed assigned counsel, or capital attorneys who were paid more than $500 for indigent cases during the 2024-2025 fiscal year (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025). The registration fee for private attorneys and others is $95.00.

REGISTRATION: Register here for the 2026 Civil Defense Webinar.  The registration deadline is 5:00 pm on Monday, June 22.

Private Assigned Counsel, Managed Assigned Counsel, and Capital Attorney Eligibility: If you have questions regarding your eligibility to attend the program without paying a registration fee, please contact Aaron Gallagher, IDS Fiscal Officer, at [email protected] to determine your eligibility.

CLE CREDIT: The webinar will offer up to 1.5 hours of general CLE credit. To receive CLE credit, all participants must pre-register individually, even if the webinar is watched in a group setting. To receive partial credit, please submit your form to Kayla Fowler at [email protected] by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: If you have any questions or need further information, contact Program Manager Kayla Fowler at [email protected].