Week in Review: February 14-18

Happy Friday! We started the week filled with celebrating love that somehow transitioned to stuffed with work and chocolates, how does that happen? Either way, OJD was busy in the office keeping the engine going and sharing knowledge along the way.

Tip of the Week – Discovery

The Juvenile Code has similar discovery rules to those followed in adult criminal court. Though Juvenile Court is in District Court, most jurisdictions understand that discovery transfer is a practice for both misdemeanors and felonies in Juvenile Court. Even if there’s an “automatic discovery” rule in your jurisdiction, you should always file a motion to receive discovery. Note that the state may also file a reciprocal motion, which may impact your decision on presenting expert opinion testimony or reports.

Black History Month Spotlight - Dawn Baxton

Dawn Baxton is a 1998 NCCU School of Law Graduate and started her journey in law with the Durham County Public Defender's Office in 1999 and has been with the office 23 years. Just recently, in 2020, Dawn was appointed as the Chief Public Defender for Durham County and she is the FIRST female appointed to this position. When asked why Black History Month is important to her and how it affects her work, Dawn says,

"Black History Month is important to me because it is a time to reflect on the sacrifices our ancestors made for future generations to be treated equally, fairly, and to have a better quality of life. In the courtroom, I use the struggles of the past as motivation to advocate zealously for my clients and to do as much as I can to lessen the impact of their involvement in an often unkind, and biased criminal justice system that habitually criminalizes mental health and substance abuse, rather than recognizing them as public health issues. My career in the Durham County Public Defenders’ Office has provided me with the opportunity to help the community, and to pay it forward many times. It is a blessing I will forever be grateful and thankful for."

Thank you for everything you do and have done Dawn!

CLE Opportunity

With the 2021 CLE year coming to an end in February, we realized many of us do not have the required Technology hour required. With the help of AOC and DJJ, OJD is sponsoring “School Justice Partnerships, and the SJP Dashboard”.

Upcoming Webinar Hosted by The Office of the Juvenile Defender

Technology Hour Lunch & Learn: School Justice Partnerships and the SJP Dashboard

Description:

This 1-hour technology CLE opportunity will explain the SJP model, development and advantages associated with implementing an SJP, as well as, the data derived and available from the NC DPS on the SJP Dashboard. Presented by DeShield Greene, Court Management Specialist for the North Carolina Judicial Branch, Lindsey Spain, Assistant Legal Counsel on the Criminal Team for the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts, Phillip Maychek, Social Research Specialist with the NC Department of Public Safety, and Kimberly Quintus, Director of Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act at the NC Department of Public Safety, Juvenile Justice. CLE Application is pending.

When:

February 24, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EST

Where:

Online via WebEx ­– register here: SJP CLE Registration