THE CHETSON FIRMCriminal Defense Attorneys
19 W. Hargett St., Suite 400, Raleigh, NC 27601 | info@chetson.com
Chapel Hill, Hillsborough & UNC Student Defense
The Chetson Firm represents clients facing criminal charges in Orange County District and Superior Court, with particular experience in UNC Chapel Hill student defense and cases arising from Chapel Hill and Carrboro. As a Board Certified Specialist and UNC Law alumnus, Damon Chetson brings both legal expertise and a deep understanding of the Orange County legal community.
State & Federal Criminal Law
1 of fewer than 12 in Wake County
Jury Trials
Multiple Not Guilty Verdicts
Eastern District of NC
Court-Vetted Federal Counsel
Recognized Every Year
Since 2015
106 E. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278
All Superior Court felony jury trials and most District Court sessions are held at the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough. The Chetson Firm's Raleigh office is approximately 35 minutes away.
130 E. Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Some District Court sessions — including Chapel Hill and Carrboro matters — are heard at the Southern Branch in Chapel Hill.
Orange County's criminal courts handle a significant volume of cases involving University of North Carolina students and faculty. For a UNC student, a criminal conviction can affect academic standing, financial aid, campus housing, professional licensing, graduate school applications, and career prospects — consequences that extend far beyond any criminal sentence.
"A criminal charge doesn't have to define a student's future. With the right defense strategy, many first-offense charges can be resolved through diversion programs, conditional dismissal, or not-guilty verdicts that preserve a clean record — and keep options open."
Felonies, misdemeanors, DWI, drug charges, assault, domestic violence in Orange County courts.
Federal charges in the Eastern District of NC. CJA Panel attorney. RICO, drug trafficking, wire fraud.
Rape, sexual assault, indecent liberties, internet sex crimes. Protect against mandatory registration.
Embezzlement, wire fraud, tax crimes, money laundering. Discreet, strategic representation.
Nationwide SafeSport investigation defense for coaches, athletes, and administrators.
NC State Bar, Medical Board, Nursing Board, and teaching license proceedings.
Damon Chetson is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill School of Law. He understands both the legal and academic dimensions of a criminal charge for a UNC student or faculty member, and works to resolve cases with outcomes that protect not just the client's criminal record but their academic and professional future.
It can. UNC Chapel Hill's Honor Code and Student Conduct processes are separate from the criminal justice system. A criminal conviction — particularly for drug offenses or crimes of dishonesty — can trigger academic discipline independently of any criminal sentence. An experienced defense attorney works to resolve the criminal matter in a way that minimizes exposure on both fronts.
Most Chapel Hill criminal matters begin in Orange County District Court, which holds sessions at both the Southern Branch in Chapel Hill and the main courthouse in Hillsborough. Felony jury trials are heard in Orange County Superior Court in Hillsborough.
Yes. The Raleigh office is approximately 35 minutes from the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough. Free consultations are available by phone, text, or in person for clients from Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and surrounding Orange County communities.
Get a free, confidential consultation with a Board Certified criminal defense specialist. Available by phone or text.
The Chetson Firm · 19 W. Hargett St., Suite 400, Raleigh, NC 27601 · info@chetson.com
Results vary by case. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. Information on this website does not constitute legal advice. Damon Chetson is licensed in North Carolina and admitted in the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of NC and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. NC Bar RPC 7.2.