Ted Bell, District Attorney

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Rutherfod County Courthouse

Welcome.

Thank you for visiting the web site of the District Attorney's Office in Prosecutorial District 41. This District includes all of McDowell and Rutherford Counties in North Carolina. It is the duty of this office to represent the State of North Carolina with integrity and professionalism, while protecting victims and their rights, in the pursuit of justice.

The goal of this website is to make the information and services provided by the District Attorney's Office and the criminal justice system available to the public. Please take the time to search each page and explore all the information provided. Should you have any questions, we have also included details on how you may contact our office.

The criminal justice system can sometimes be complex to understand. If you would like help learning about its process and/or components, you may start by following the links on this page.

Your District Attorney

Ted Bell was born in rural Pennsylvania, the son of a police officer and a nurse. At 19 he joined the Army andMcDowell County Courthouse became a helicopter pilot. He served seven years stationed at various posts in the Republic of Korea and the U.S., including Ft. Bragg. Ted attended UNC-Chapel Hill for undergraduate degrees in Economics and Political Science and then received his law degree from UNC as well. After practicing labor and employment law in Birmingham, Alabama, he and his family returned to North Carolina. In 2008, he became an Assistant District Attorney in District 29A. Ted and his wife, an anesthesiologist, have two daughters. In his free time, Ted is a competitive pistol shooter and hunter and is also a licensed falconer.

Court Terminology Here you will find a comprehensive list of various words and phrases, along with their definitions, used frequently in the Criminal Justice System. This collection of terms and definitions are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended for legal use or direction. The list is separated into three sections by the first letter of each word or phrase:

A - E | F - O | P - Z

Frequently Asked Questions Here you will find a list of frequently asked questions pertaining to the Criminal Justice System. We have tried to include a wide range of questions and answers to shed light on what can be a confusing process.

If you have questions concerning a specific court date and/or a specific court case, please feel free to contact us.

Court Process Here you will find a brief description of the court process, from arrest to sentencing, along with a diagram to help better your understanding of the Criminal Justice System.

Victims Rights Here you will find a list of victims' rights and responsibilities, and information on what to do if you are threatened or intimidated. You can also find information concerning the Victims Compensation Program.

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