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!
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.
Friday, October 4 -- 2:30 p.m. 1.5 hours of CLE Credit QPR: Question, Persuade and Refer - Supporting Individuals Who Are Suicidal/In Crisis Talking about suicide is both difficult and lifesaving. We may not know what to say when someone expresses a threat; it is devastating when we lose someone by suicide and replay in […]
Friday, October 18th @ 2:30 p.m. 90-minutes of CLE Credit Offered; 60-minutes satisfies the professional well-being requirement. Break The Stigma: Let’s Talk About It Talking about suicide is both difficult and lifesaving. This training will provide a brief overview of data related to specific population groups that statistics show have higher rates of suicide, including […]
Registration is open for the 2024 North Carolina Appellate Advocacy Training, sponsored by the School of Government and the Office of Indigent Defense Services. Agenda Guide for Participants PARTICIPANTS: The Appellate Advocacy Training is open to assistant appellate defenders and attorneys on the appellate appointment list maintained by the Office of the Appellate Defender. […]
Registration for the 2024 Misdemeanor Defender Training, co-sponsored by the School of Government and the Office of Indigent Defense Services, is now available at https://www.sog.unc.edu/courses/misdemeanor-defender-training. Agenda - 2024 Misdemeanor Defender Training Program: This course is an introductory program for attorneys new to misdemeanor cases. Sessions focus on stops and searches, impaired driving, ethical issues in […]
Registration for the Winter Criminal Law 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. The 2024 Winter Criminal Law Update will […]
Registration for the 2025 Guardianship Proceedings for Appointed Counsel and Civil Commitment Conferences, co-sponsored by the School of Government and the Office of Indigent Defense Services, is now open. PROGRAM OVERVIEW, DATES, AND LOCATION: Both conferences will be held in-person at the School of Government in Chapel Hill and are open to public defenders, appellate […]
Registration for the Felony Defender Training, scheduled for February 5-7, 2025, is now open and available at https://www.sog.unc.edu/courses/felony-defender-training. This training is co-sponsored by the UNC School of Government and the Office of Indigent Defense Services. Agenda - 2025 Felony Defender Training Program: The program will be held at the School of Government with topics covering […]
The next quarterly Indigent Defense Services (IDS) Commission Meeting will be held on February 7 at 10:00 am, with both in-person and virtual attendance options available. The agenda will include updates on indigent defense initiatives, budget matters, and policy discussions. For meeting details, including the agenda and virtual access information, please visit: Quarterly IDS Commission […]
Registration for the Current Developments in Criminal Law 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. School of Government faculty member […]
Register NOW for the first session of the 2025 IDS Mental Health Education Series: Introduction to Trauma Informed Interviewing presented by Emma Paul Schedule: The webinar will be held on Wednesday, June 18 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Please plan to sign on 15 minutes before the start of the webinar to test […]
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 […]
The 2025 Defender Trial School, co-sponsored by the School of Government and the North Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Services, will be held Monday, July 7 through Friday, July 11 at the UNC School of Government. The program will offer approximately 29.50 hours of CLE credit, including one hour of Ethics credit, and qualifies for NC State […]
