Felony Defender Training

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Felony Defender Training

February 4 - 6, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. | Chapel Hill

Registration will close on Friday, January 23.

This program is open to attorneys who are new to representing defendants charged with felonies in superior court. Topics will include discovery and investigation, suppression and other superior court motions, lab reports, preserving the record, sentencing, and trial skills—including conducting voir dire—necessary to handle felony cases from start to finish. The program is comprised of plenary sessions and intensive small-group workshops.

For information on other public defense education courses, visit our Public Defense Education site.

AGENDA

You can access the agenda here.

REGISTRATION FEE

The registration fee for private assigned and managed assigned counsel is $575. There is no fee for IDS state employees.

CONTINUING EDUCATION INFORMATION

The program will offer approximately 17.75 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) credit, including one hour of ethics CLE credit, subject to Bar approval.

Additional information

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

A limited number of scholarships are available for private assigned and managed assigned counsel. If you are interested in applying, complete the scholarship application as soon as possible. If you receive a scholarship, the registration fee is waived. The scholarship deadline is on Friday, January 16. Please refer to the scholarship website for additional information.

HOTEL INFORMATION

A block of rooms is available at Hampton Inn & Suites Chapel Hill/Durham (6121 Farrington Rd, Chapel Hill, NC) with a rate of $119 plus taxes and fees valid for stay dates of February 3-6. The hotel reservation deadline is Tuesday, January 13. The rate includes complimentary breakfast, parking, and free internet. Upon arrival, the front desk agent will give you a code to enter after scanning the QR code to validate your parking along with the license plate number. To reserve a room, please refer to the hotel’s website or call the hotel directly at (919) 403-8700 and mention group code "902" or " Felony Defender Training."

PARKING INFORMATION

Parking details will be provided to you by your program manager the week prior to the program. Additional directions and parking information can be found on our Visitor Information page.

MATERIALS

Program materials will be available under the "Materials" tab above. Materials are posted as they are received by instructors.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Course participants who cancel their registration more than 7 calendar days before the course start date will receive a full refund. Otherwise, participants will receive a transferrable credit to be used within 12 months. More information can be found in the full cancellation and refund policy.