J. Scott Coalter is Board Certified Federal and North Carolina Criminal Law Specialist who has practiced Criminal Law since 1997. He has experience as both a prosecutor and public defender, having served as an Assistant Public Defender for Guilford County, NC from 1997-2001, and an Assistant District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District of NC from 2001-2003. He is qualified for appointment to Death Penalty cases and Federal criminal cases. He has appeared before Federal District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Court of Appeals and numerous State District and Superior Courts.
A native of Austin, Texas, Scott later served as an Infantryman in the First Infantry Division Forward in West Germany and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Texas at Austin. He graduated Cum Laude from the Campbell University School of Law in 1996. At Campbell, Scott was published (“Vicarious Liability of a Physician for the Negligence of Other Medical Professionals- North Carolina Charts a Middle Course- The Effect of Harris v. Miller,” Campbell Law Review, Vol. 17, No. 2 (1995)) and served as Research Editor on the Campbell Law Review from 1995-96. He is a past President of the Greensboro Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
Notable Cases:
- State v. Darryl Lamonte Herndon, 99 CRS 23417, 1st Degree Murder, Dismissed
- State v. Deshawn Pratt, 98 CRS 1764, 1st Degree Murder, Not Guilty
- State v. Calvin Hawkins, 04 CRS 69209-10, RWDW & AWDWIKISI, Not Guilty
- United States v. Veselin Vidacak, 1:06-cr-278, False Statement to Gov’t Official
- United States v. Vidacak, Case No. 07-4904 (4th Circuit 2009)
- State v. Seneca Alston, 08 CRS 89405, Habitual Felon, Not Guilty
- State v. Stephen Campbell, 10 CRS 23360, Fel. Child Abuse, Dismissed by Court