This program will provide a full day of training for both newer and more experienced prosecutors on the law, procedure, practical issues, and ethical considerations involved in negotiating and entering pleas, which account for 98% of all criminal convictions in North Carolina. In addition to covering the basic statutory requirements and permissible subjects for a plea deal, this program will also address a number of more complex and real-world issues that arise in this area. Advanced topics will include pleading in and working with cooperating defendants, responding to a withdrawal or breach, the interplay between state and federal sentencing, and post-conviction issues. Finally, an interactive workshop session will discuss and compare plea alternatives for a variety of sample cases. If you’ve ever made a plea deal and then wondered “was that the right resolution…?” this program is for you.

Do you inwardly brace yourself when a financial exploitation case hits your desk?  It’s okay to admit it. Often prosecutors and law enforcement care deeply about these vulnerable victims but are frustrated by the complex issues inherent in these cases, including:

1. The overlap between civil and criminal law;
2. Complicated financial analysis;
3. Reluctant or deceased victims;
4. Medical, psychological, or emotional issues;
5. Common defenses like consent and lack of intent; and
6. The different priorities of parties involved (APS, family members, providers…)

This year at Break the Silence we will address each one of these challenges head-on. Participants will learn from a medical provider, financial crime investigators, a civil attorney, prosecutors, and even receive training from the National White Collar Crime Center on an Excel tool that will make analyzing these cases easier.

Our goal is for you to leave this training equipped with the information and confidence to handle this unique caseload.