FREE Webinar for Indigent Defenders in Civil Proceedings

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 eligible indigent defenders.

The webinar, presented live by School of Government faculty member Timothy Heinle, will review issues surrounding the testimony and out-of-court statements of children in juvenile abuse, neglect, and dependency proceedings (AND). Topics will include relevant considerations when a party wishes to call a child witness (including subpoenas, motions in limine, availability, and competency), and admissibility concerns when a party offers a child’s out-of-court statements (including those made on social media, and to parties or third-party professionals) into evidence. Note that some content will be relevant to the work of defenders in other civil proceedings; however, topics will be discussed in the context of juvenile AND.

Participants: 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; termination of parental rights; and juvenile justice proceedings.

Schedule: The webinar will be on Friday, June 27, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Please plan to sign on 15 minutes before the start of the webinar to test your connection.

Registration: Visit the course website to register online and find additional information about the webinar. Pre-registration is required. The deadline is Monday, June 23, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.

Fee: There is no registration fee for IDS state employees. There is no registration fee for private assigned and managed assigned counsel 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 other private attorneys and others is $90.00.

Questions Regarding Private Assigned and Managed Assigned Counsel 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 & Certification: The webinar offers 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 Adrienne Decker at [email protected] by 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

For More Information: Contact Adrienne Decker, Program Manager, at [email protected]

The School of Government is committed to equality of educational opportunity. The School does not discriminate in offering access to its educational programs and activities on the basis of age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. If you have a disability and need accommodation to participate in any School of Government program, please let us know.