SMITHFIELD – On Monday, A. Traynham Dorn was sworn in as the first Public Defender in Johnston County. She was appointed to the position earlier this year by Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Thomas H. Lock, who also administered her Oath during a ceremony at the Johnston County Courthouse in Smithfield.
Ms. Dorn’s work experience includes over 20 years in private practice where she represented criminal defendants in district and superior court. In addition, her experience includes a community-focused approach through working with indigent clients and serving as a Guardian ad Litem.
Public defenders provide legal representation at state expense for persons who cannot afford to hire private counsel but are entitled to counsel under constitutional or statutory authority. The cases can range from criminal charges to civil commitment, juvenile proceedings, or loss of parental rights.
During Monday’s ceremony, Judge Lock said, “Over the past several years, most of the members of the Johnston County Bar began to recognize the need for an office of lawyers dedicated to the full-time representation of indigent defendants and armed with the resources to ensure that such representation was effective. Such offices were hardly a novel concept.”
“I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Senator Benton Sawrey, who is a member of our Bar, for his tireless and successful efforts last year to obtain legislative funding for the establishment of a public defender’s office here in Johnston County.”
“Of course, the right to counsel is meaningless unless that counsel is effective. And a public defender’s office can not be effective without outstanding leadership. That is why I am delighted Traynham Dorn has offered herself to serve as the first leader of this new office in our county. She has toiled in the proverbial trenches of our criminal courts for almost two decades, and she has shown herself to be a fierce and caring advocate for her clients. I am confident she will assemble a professional and capable staff as she strives to improve the quality of justice in our courts,” Judge Lock stated.
Ms. Dorn holds a Bachelor of Arts from Queens College in Charlotte, and a Juris Doctor from New England School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts.
What a waste…. this is nothing more than the ongoing SOCAILISM of our once proud country. Why make the public pay? People need to be responsible for themselves. Hire your own attorney! I can’t wait until SCOTUS overturned this stupid “right to free counsel.” All you woke Snowflakes who think everything should be free need to leave and find a SOCIALST paradise instead!
You are one ignorant Unamerican fool. The 6th Amendment was ratified in the 1790s. The Founding Fathers were ok with what you call socialism so I suggest you get onboard with the original intent of our founders or leave this country. Also you need to study history, civics, political science and read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. People like you are one of the reasons we are headed for everything our founders did not want for this country – religious and authoritarian rule.
@Leighlah: Are you serious? You want “the original intent of our founders”… like letting only white property owners vote? #hypocritre
TTT is a Dem troll who just does the “full circle irony” bit of parody-mocking conservatives. Dont feed the trolls, especially on the 4th.
That said, the 6th amendment gives right to counsel, but does not express that counsel shall be taxpayer funded. That would be like me saying that because the 2nd amendment guarantees me the right to keep and bear arms, taxpayers should buy me a gun if I can’t afford one.
Excellent choice! I’ve known her for years and she truly has the best interests of everyone at heart. Way to go!
Much needed!