Monthly Attorney Orientation
For Lawyers who are New to Indigent Defense
Beginning August 1, IDS staff will provide orientation for new attorneys on the first Friday of each month from 1-2 p.m.
Topics will include a guided tour of the IDS website, information on training and CLE opportunities, access to wellness resources and more. You will also be able to connect with other defense attorneys for future collaboration!
2026 IDS Forensic Science Education Series
IDS and the Mecklenburg Public Defender’s Office provide regular continuing education to dozens of NC criminal defense and parent attorneys, investigators, and mitigation specialists who attend the IDS Forensic Science Education Series.
In 2026, we will offer monthly 90-minute webinars on various aspects of forensic evidence. These webinars will take place typically at 12:30 pm on the first Thursday of each month. Click here to view the 2026 Schedule.
The first six sessions of 2026 will focus on understanding and advocating for neurodivergent clients.
- This event has passed.
Investigating a Criminal Case – Register by July 27
The Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office is hosting a free to attend webinar on Investigating a Criminal Case. Pending approval by the NC State Bar, this CLE is for 1 general hour and the State Bar will charge you $3.50/hour.
Please register below by 7/27/23 at noon:
When: July 28, 2023 from 12:30-1:30. You are welcome to log in by 12:15.
Where: Anyplace you have internet. You will receive a Webex invite the day before to join the webinar.
What: The speaker, a private investigator, will discuss investigating a criminal case in order for the criminal defense attorney to understand effective investigation and how this is crucial to an effective defense. Topics covered will include: effective communication between investigator and attorney, mutual understanding of your client’s defense strategy between investigator and attorney, discovery review by the defense team, creating an Investigative Action Plan (IAP), an overview of what an investigator can and cannot do during the investigation and presenting results of investigation in an easily understandable and digestible format so the results of the investigation may be used effectively in discussions with your client, plea negotiations with the prosecutor and at trial with the jury.
Who: Tonya Phifer is the President and Sr. Investigator at JPPI Investigative Services, a company she started 18 years ago in 2005. Tonya has been licensed as a private investigator in North Carolina for 21 years. Tonya worked for the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. In an effort to further her legal experience, she is currently pursuing her Paralegal Technology diploma at Central Piedmont Community College.
Tonya oversees a staff of (1) Investigative Assistant, (2) Process Servers and a total of (4) Investigators. Team JPPI is well trusted in the legal community throughout North Carolina to investigate various types of matters, to include, but not limited to, federal, state, felonies, misdemeanors, civil and domestic matters.
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Please email [email protected] with any questions.
