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Public Defense Education

Higher-Level Felony Defense Training - September 9-11, 2025

This is a collection of digital materials used and referenced in the 2025 Higher-Level Felony Defense Training held September 9- 11, 2025. 

Please select the arrows next to each title to access the drop-down of materials. During the training, this page will be periodically updated as we receive additional materials. All available materials from the program will be posted here within three weeks of the conclusion of the course.

More information on the program can be found on the course homepage. If you have any questions, please contact Kayla Fowler. 

 

Course Materials

Agenda - 2025 Higher-Level Felony Defense Training
July, 2025
September 9 - Mitigation Investigation
September, 2025

Presented by Josie Van Dyke, Mitigation Specialist, Sentencing Solutions, Inc., Knightdale, NC

September 9 - Defending Eyewitness Identification Cases
September, 2025

Presented by Laura Gibson, Assistant Public Defender, Beaufort County Office of the Public Defender, Washington, NC

September 9 - Preparing to Defend High-Level Felonies
September, 2025

Presented by Phil Dixon, Teaching Associate Professor, UNC School of Government, Chapel Hill, NC

This presentation will be shared via email at the conclusion of the course.

September 9 - Self-Defense Update
September, 2025

Presented by John Rubin, Professor of Public Law and Government UNC School of Government, Chapel Hill, NC

September 10 - The Law of Sentencing Serious Felonies
September, 2025

Presented by Jamie Markham, Thomas Willis Lambeth Distinguished Chair in Public Policy UNC School of Government, Chapel Hill, NC

September 10 - Storytelling and Visual Aides at Sentencing
September, 2025

Presented by Sophorn Avitan and Susan Weigand, Assistant Public Defenders, Mecklenburg Co. Public Defender’s Office, Charlotte, NC

September 10 - Preventing Low-Level Felonies from Becoming High Level Habitual Felonies
September, 2025

Presented by Jason St. Aubin, Senior Trial Attorney, Marcilliat & Mills, PLLC, Charlotte, NC

September 10 - Preservation Essentials
September, 2025

Presented by Glenn Gerding, Appellate Defender, Office of the Appellate Defender, Durham, NC

September 10 - Basics of Batson Challenges
September, 2025

Presented by Hannah Autry, Assitant Capital Defender, Office of the Capital Defender, Durham, NC and Kailey Morgan, Staff Attorney, Center for Death Penalty Litigation, Durham, NC

Batson Quick Guide.pdf (pdf, 310.84 KB)
September 11 - Client Rapport
September, 2025

Presented by Tucker Charns, Regional Defender, Indigent Defense Services, Durham, NC

This presentation will not be made available to download per the presenter's request. 

September 11 - Protecting Jurors from Removals for Cause
September, 2025

Presented by Emily Coward, Director of the Inclusive Juries Project and Johanna Jennings, Director, The Decarceration Project, Duke University School of Law, Durham, NC

 
September 11 - Peremptory and For Cause Challenges
September, 2025

Presented by James Davis, Attorney, Davis and Davis, Salisbury, NC

 
Additional Training Materials
September, 2025

For Workshops and References

Juror Rating Grid.pdf (pdf, 79.62 KB)
Public Officials - Courts and Judicial Administration Roles
Public Officials - Local and State Government Roles