In August 2000, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted the Indigent Defense Services Act, which created the Office of Indigent Defense Services and charged it with overseeing and enhancing the provision of legal representation to indigent defendants and others entitled to counsel under North Carolina law. The School of Government collaborates with the Office of Indigent Defense Services to create quality, cost-effective indigent defense education, including innovative training programs, manuals, and online resources, to ensure that indigent defenders have the qualifications, training, and support they need to be effective.
UPCOMING TRAININGS
- Defender Trial School: July 7-11, 2025
- Juvenile Defender Conference: August 20, 2025
- Parent Attorney Conference: August 21, 2025
- Higher-Level Felony Defense: September 9-11, 2025
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS:
New Podcast: Episode 19: NC Criminal Debrief Podcast hosted by Phil Dixon
New Blog Post: Case Summaries: Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (May 2025) by Phil Dixon
New Blog Post: News Roundup by Phil Dixon
New Resource: Recovery Courts: An Overview for Defenders by Timothy Heinle
New Blog Post: What Does it Mean for a Criminal Case if the Defendant is Legally Incompetent and Has a Court-Appointed Guardian? by Timothy Heinle
On-Demand Content: View our on-demand content