Articles in the Uncategorized category

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released on June 3, 2026. (1) The State lacks authority to appeal a district court’s verbal […]

By now, most people in the North Carolina indigent defense community know that Mary Pollard, the executive director of the North Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Services (IDS), has decided […]

The week began with the report of the capture in Mount Airy of an armed fugitive wanted for murder. Michael Puckett is accused of killing one Virginia sheriff’s deputy and […]

This post is a follow-up from last month’s post Initial Appearances, Implied Consent Offenses, and Offenses Involving Impaired Driving Part 1. In Part 1, we discussed the differences and overlaps […]

Probation records are privileged. That protection stems from an old statute, G.S. 15-207, which was enacted in 1937—the same year the original North Carolina Probation Commission was established. See N.C. […]

Last week I participated in a CLE event sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Court. It was a great event and an opportunity for me to learn […]

Last Friday, violence erupted outside the Wake County Courthouse when Gwendolyn White reportedly shot at two lawyers, Mary Harris and Jeffrey Whitley. The attack happened after a tense hearing at […]

If asked if North Carolina has a speedy trial law, until relatively recently, I would have said no. A defendant does have constitutional rights to a speedy trial under the […]

One of the unique aspects of juvenile delinquency procedure is the intake and evaluation process. This mandatory process precedes commencement of a delinquency court action and determines if an initial […]

The U.S. Department of Justice indicted Raúl Castro, the 94-year-old former president of Cuba, for his role in ordering the 1996 downing of two planes. The planes were flown by […]