This legislative session, the General Assembly amended G.S. 15A-1215(a), effective October 1, 2021, to permit an alternate juror to replace a regular juror after deliberations have begun. S.L. 2021-94 (discussed in more detail here). The North Carolina Conference of Superior Court Judges Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions has created a new instruction for judges to utilize when substituting an alternate juror after deliberations have begun and has amended the existing closing pattern instruction to ensure that alternate jurors refrain from discussing the case with anyone until they are discharged from service. The revised interim instructions are available here.
UNC School of Government
Knapp-Sanders Building
Campus Box 3330 UNC - Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3330
T: 919.966.5381 | F: 919.962.0654 © 2023 Copyright,
North Carolina Criminal Law
at the School of Government with the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
at the School of Government with the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill