Faris C. Dixon, Jr. is from eastern North Carolina raised in Goldsboro, NC, and is a 1985 graduate of Goldsboro High School. He attended Duke University and graduated in 1989 with a BA in Psychology. He received his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law in 1992.

About | farisdixon

Faris Dixon is from eastern North Carolina and was raised in Goldsboro. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Duke University and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.

He received his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law in 1992. He has practiced law for over 25 years with experiences as an attorney for Lumbee River Legal Services in Robeson County, a prosecutor at the Robeson County District Attorney’s Office, a defense attorney with the Pitt County Public Defender’s Office, a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office and currently as a defense attorney in private practice.

Faris Dixon currently works as a defense attorney in private practice. He previously worked as an attorney for Lumbee River Legal Services, as a prosecutor in the Robeson County District Attorney’s Office and the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office, and as a defense attorney with the Pitt County Public Defender’s Office.

The undersigned members of the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement (State Board) on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 certify that we convened in the offices of the State Board at 430 N. Salisbury Street in Raleigh, North Carolina, to complete the canvass of votes cast in all ballot items within the jurisdiction of the State Board and to authenticate the count in every ballot item in the county by determining that the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly. We affirm and declare by the tabulation of votes canvassed as it appears in the composite abstracts that the following candidates are elected to the various offices:

DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT 01 R. Andrew Womble REP Y
DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT 02 Seth Edwards DEM Y
DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT 03 Faris Dixon DEM N (PITT)
DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT 04 Scott Thomas DEM Y

CERTIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD ON November 6, 2018 (PDF)

Faris was elected district attorney for North Carolina's 3rd District in 2018.

2026 North Carolina General Election

Worked as an attorney for Lumbee River Legal Services in Robeson County.

Served as a prosecutor in the Robeson County District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting cases on behalf of the state.

Served as a defense attorney with the Pitt County Public Defender’s Office, representing defendants who could not afford an attorney.

Served as a prosecutor in the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting cases on behalf of the state.

Practices as a private defense attorney, representing defendants in criminal cases.

- Worked as an attorney for Lumbee River Legal Services in Robeson County.
- Served as a prosecutor in the Robeson County District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting cases on behalf of the state.
- Served as a defense attorney with the Pitt County Public Defender’s Office, representing defendants who could not afford an attorney.
- Served as a prosecutor in the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting cases on behalf of the state.
- Practices as a private defense attorney, representing defendants in criminal cases.

Legal Experience

22. Will you commit to not seeking the death penalty? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes

No,
I can imagine a crime so extreme that the death penalty is warranted. But, I will implement a team of 3 or 5 individuals, myself included of course, composed of diverse race and sex to review cases that are considered for the death penalty. This community has lost trust in the office and needs to know that that decision would not be made lightly and would be made by a diverse team.

2018 Elections: Do Your District Attorney Candidates Support Justice Reform? - ACLU of North Carolina

1. Will you pledge to articulate a mission and vision for the Office that places the focus on justice, rather than winning cases, and align the work of the Office—including internal and external communications, training, policies, and hiring and promotion practices—to reflect that mission and vision? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
I believe that district attorneys are to be ministers of justice. My office will be structured, trained and seek to be transparent and open to the public. The community in Pitt County has lost trust in the office and I will work to rebuild that relationship. I want all citizens to feel that the office understands and represents them.

3. Many experts say prosecutors overcharging defendants even when they have weak or insufficient evidence unfairly pressures defendants into taking pleas. Would you pledge only to file charges that you are confident the evidence supports? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
I will pledge to only file charges that are supported by the evidence.

4. Contact with the criminal justice system can negatively affect a person’s psychological wellbeing and ability to obtain employment; it also often fails to address the underlying cause of crime. Will you work to expand diversionary programs so that, whenever possible, contact with the criminal justice system is avoided or limited? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
My goal is to reduce crime and recidivism. The office will utilize diversionary programs whenever possible to redirect individuals out of the criminal justice system and towards becoming productive members of society. I intend to expand our drug court, create a mental health court and work to increase resources available to juveniles.

8. Will you limit requests for money bail and pledge to recommend, for all legally permissible cases, presumptive release of defendants without financial conditions unless there is an individualized showing of substantial and identifiable flight risk or danger to the community? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
I will limit requests for money bail to those who are substantial flight risks or danger to the community.

10. Will you pledge to collect and post online annual statistical information disaggregated by race and gender on felony and misdemeanor charging decisions, convictions, declinations, and diversion program placements? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
This community no longer trusts the district attorney’s office. That information is important to demonstrate that everyone is being treated equally.

11. Will you pledge to publish on the Office website all policies, protocols, and MOUs regarding prosecution guidelines, police-involved incidents, bail recommendations, fines and fees, diversion programs, plea bargains, civil asset forfeiture, immigration considerations, and indigency determinations? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
The community needs this information to regain its’ trust in the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office.

14. Will you pledge to assign special prosecutors authorized to investigate and prosecute police killings of civilians, use-of-force cases, sexual assault by law enforcement officers, and other cases of police misconduct as appropriate? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
In fact I will even go so far as to form a conviction integrity unit to look into old cases.

The purpose of the Conviction Integrity Unit is to increase, establish and maintain the trust of the public in the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office. I plan to restore the integrity in the District Attorney’s Office and create an environment of trust.

The establishment of a Conviction Integrity Unit is needed to enhance the current system. The purpose of these units is to review closed cases and ensure that there was in fact sufficient evidence to convict those individuals.

Initiatives | farisdixon

17. Will you pledge to not seek to remove juveniles to the adult justice system, unless required by statute? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
I was a juvenile prosecutor for eight years and I understand the issue involved. I know some prosecutors use the threat as a bargaining ploy.

18. Will you pledge to require, when possible, that juvenile trauma histories be considered at all points in the process when evaluating whether a youth should be incarcerated, diverted, or subject to other dispositions? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
When I was a juvenile prosecutor I always took into account the trauma that a juvenile may have experienced.

20. Do you currently require—and if not, will you implement—Brady training for your prosecutors, which specifically addresses evidence considered exculpatory or that otherwise qualifies as Brady materials? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
I will require that my prosecutors turn over Brady materials as soon as possible.

21. Do you currently have—and if not, will you commit to creating—a process to address willful discovery violations, including Brady violations, by prosecutors in your office? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes,
I will immediately address willful discovery violations and I will not stand for it.

INITIATIVES

Drug Court Options

​​

Launching new programs in Pitt County to review low-level drug offenses and allow individuals arrested for low-level drug offenses, including marijuana, to participate in treatment program instead of entering criminal court, thus reducing crime in the area.

The present opioid crisis has increased the need for the expansion of Drug Court. One of my priorities is to seek additional funding for options by applying for grants and expanding partnerships with businesses to support efforts to deal with this crisis.

The present opioid crisis has increased the need for the expansion of Drug Court. One of my priorities is to seek additional funding for options by applying for grants and expanding partnerships with businesses to support efforts to deal with this crisis. A great deal of crimes either directly involve drugs or are committed to obtain illegal controlled substances.

Presently Juvenile Court Counselor, the official name for Juvenile Probation Officers, supervise juveniles on probation. Juveniles are presently required to be in school until the age of 16. We must develop partnerships with Pitt Community College, local non-profits and businesses to provide educational opportunities and vocational training to juveniles in the community. This will give us an approach that equips them with the skills they need to become vital and productive members of society.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Create a Human Trafficking Response Unit to deter and shut down human trafficking operations in our county (sex and labor).

Network with the local Domestic Violence Centers to create one centralized place for services of victims of domestic violence.

Provide funding for additional support for rape victims.

Network with the local Domestic Violence Centers to create one centralized place for services of victims of domestic violence.

Provide funding for additional support for rape victims.

GUN VIOLENCE

Coordinate safety efforts with Pitt County Schools, Pitt County Sheriff’s Department, Trillium Mental Health Services, Pitt County Health Department, and Greenville Police Department to ensure all students are safe by being proactive.

Advocate for gun safety policies by improving our background check system and limiting access to guns by those who have been convicted of domestic violence assaults.

Plans to provide full discovery after indictment and switch the office to electronic discovery.

19. Will you pledge to require that prosecutors turn over full discovery to the defense pre-indictment? Please give a clear “Yes” or “No” and any explanation.

Yes

No,
But I will turn over full discovery when the case is indicted. I will also switch the office to electronic discovery. In my opinion the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office has used the old system so that some evidence could be withheld without being noticed.

Would seek the death penalty in extreme cases only after review by a diverse team.

Plans to structure the district attorney’s office around justice, transparency, and rebuilding public trust, and train its staff accordingly.

Pledges to file only charges supported by the evidence.

Plans to expand diversion programs, including drug court and a mental health court, to reduce crime and repeat offending.

Pledges to limit requests for money bail to people posing substantial flight risks or danger to the community.

Pledges to publish annual charging, conviction, and diversion data broken down by race and gender.

Pledges to publish office policies and protocols on prosecution, bail, diversion, plea bargaining, and other practices.

Plans to establish a conviction integrity unit to review closed cases and determine whether convictions were supported by sufficient evidence.

Pledges not to seek to transfer juveniles to adult court unless required by statute.

Supports considering juveniles’ trauma histories when evaluating incarceration, diversion, or other case outcomes.

Pledges to require prosecutors to disclose Brady materials—evidence favorable to the defense—as soon as possible.

Pledges to address prosecutors’ willful failures to share required case information.

Plans to divert people arrested for low-level drug offenses, including marijuana offenses, into treatment instead of criminal court.

Prioritizes seeking grants and business partnerships to expand drug court options that address the opioid crisis.

Proposes partnerships to provide educational opportunities and vocational training for juveniles.

Proposes a Human Trafficking Response Unit to deter and shut down sex and labor trafficking operations.

Plans to work with local domestic violence centers to create a centralized service location for victims.

Proposes additional funding to support rape victims.

Plans to coordinate school-safety efforts with schools, law enforcement, mental health services, and the health department.

Advocates for improved background checks and limiting gun access for people convicted of domestic violence assaults.

- Would seek the death penalty in extreme cases only after review by a diverse team.
- Plans to structure the district attorney’s office around justice, transparency, and rebuilding public trust, and train its staff accordingly.
- Pledges to file only charges supported by the evidence.
- Plans to expand diversion programs, including drug court and a mental health court, to reduce crime and repeat offending.
- Pledges to limit requests for money bail to people posing substantial flight risks or danger to the community.
- Pledges to publish annual charging, conviction, and diversion data broken down by race and gender.
- Pledges to publish office policies and protocols on prosecution, bail, diversion, plea bargaining, and other practices.
- Plans to establish a conviction integrity unit to review closed cases and determine whether convictions were supported by sufficient evidence.
- Pledges not to seek to transfer juveniles to adult court unless required by statute.
- Supports considering juveniles’ trauma histories when evaluating incarceration, diversion, or other case outcomes.
- Pledges to require prosecutors to disclose Brady materials—evidence favorable to the defense—as soon as possible.
- Pledges to address prosecutors’ willful failures to share required case information.
- Plans to divert people arrested for low-level drug offenses, including marijuana offenses, into treatment instead of criminal court.
- Prioritizes seeking grants and business partnerships to expand drug court options that address the opioid crisis.
- Proposes partnerships to provide educational opportunities and vocational training for juveniles.
- Proposes a Human Trafficking Response Unit to deter and shut down sex and labor trafficking operations.
- Plans to work with local domestic violence centers to create a centralized service location for victims.
- Proposes additional funding to support rape victims.
- Plans to coordinate school-safety efforts with schools, law enforcement, mental health services, and the health department.
- Advocates for improved background checks and limiting gun access for people convicted of domestic violence assaults.

Public Safety

Collaborated with the Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Division on a health-care-fraud conviction.

The case originated from a referral from the North Carolina Division of Health Benefits in NCDHHS and Trillium. This conviction was obtained in collaboration between the Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Division and the Honorable Faris C. Dixon, Jr., District Attorney for Prosecutorial District 3.

Attorney General Josh Stein Announces Greenville Health Care Fraud Conviction and Sentencing

As of January 5, 2026, Faris Dixon’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Consumer Protection

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Faris Dixon

- Plans to divert people arrested for low-level drug offenses, including marijuana offenses, into treatment instead of criminal court.
- Prioritizes seeking grants and business partnerships to expand drug court options that address the opioid crisis.
- Proposes partnerships to provide educational opportunities and vocational training for juveniles.
- Proposes a Human Trafficking Response Unit to deter and shut down sex and labor trafficking operations.
- Plans to work with local domestic violence centers to create a centralized service location for victims.
- Proposes additional funding to support rape victims.
- Plans to coordinate school-safety efforts with schools, law enforcement, mental health services, and the health department.
- Advocates for improved background checks and limiting gun access for people convicted of domestic violence assaults.

Faris Dixon is from Goldsboro, North Carolina. He has a bachelor 27s degree in psychology from Duke University and a law degree from the University of North Carolina. He and his wife, Arcina Barfield, have two children. He attends Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church.

Members of the North Carolina Faith and Justice Alliance Steering ...

Faris is an attorney with the Pitt County District Attorney's Office, where he has worked since 2001. He previously worked at the Pitt County Public Defender's Office from 1997 to 2001, the Robeson County District Attorney's Office from 1995 to 1997, and Lumbee River Legal Services from 1992 to 1995.

Faris Dixon - Ballotpedia

Pitt County pursues racial and economic justice through the Driver's ...

New Districts and District Attorneys in 2019 – North Carolina ...

Faris is currently the district attorney for Pitt County. He was first elected in 2018. He previously ran for a seat on the 3A Judicial District in 2012.

Assistant District Attorney

As an Assistant District Attorney, holds a Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school and is licensed to practice law in North Carolina.

Supports creating a Human Trafficking Response Unit to deter and shut down human trafficking operations in the county.

For Candidate Faris Dixon on Issue public-safety:  
Aims to create a centralized place for services for victims of domestic violence by networking with local Domestic Violence Centers.

For Candidate Faris Dixon on Issue public-safety:  
Advocates for providing funding for additional support for rape victims.

Supports coordinating safety efforts with local schools and law enforcement to ensure student safety through proactive measures.

Supports gun safety policies by improving background checks and limiting access to firearms for individuals convicted of domestic violence assaults.

Alejandra Gracias

Buket Urgen

- The district attorney prosecutes all criminal cases filed in District and Superior Courts.
- They advise local law enforcement on which cases to pursue and how to collect proper evidence for those cases.
- The district attorney may institute court proceedings on behalf of the State, its agencies, or its citizens in any and all public interest matters. This means they play an important role in keeping the public safe.
The district attorney is elected for a four-year term in partisan elections. 

Prosecutes criminal cases and represents the state in local courts. 