North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission

Deborrah L. Newton is a federal and state criminal defense attorney, and is a State Bar Board certified specialist in federal & state criminal law. Since 2003 she has practiced as a solo practitioner at Newton Law where she has a robust state and federal criminal defense trial practice. Prior to opening Newton Law in 2003, Deb worked as an Associate Attorney General at the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office and served as a Law Clerk to the North Carolina Supreme Court for Justice Mark D. Martin.

Deb holds a Juris Doctor degree from Campbell University’s Norman A. Wiggins School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Deb is a member in good standing of the Bars of the North Carolina Supreme Court, all North Carolina Federal Courts, including the Eastern, Middle and Western District trial courts, is a member of the Bar and CJA Counsel in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and is a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.

Deb is a member of the North Carolina State Bar and the Wake County Bar Association, the Wake County Academy of Trial Lawyers (past two-term president) and the 10th Judicial District Bar where she serves on the Fee Dispute Committee.

Deb was appointed by Chief Justice Mark D. Martin to serve on Governor McCrory’s 2015 Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees, Alumni Association at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Deb was appointed by Chief Justice Martin to serve as the Alternate Discretionary member on the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission in 2017.

The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission page here.