Children and Consent Searches
Some time ago, I received an email from a researcher asking whether a minor may consent to the search of his or her cell phone. The question made me realize […]
News Roundup
After a two-week evidentiary hearing last February, and closing arguments delivered in August, Superior Court Judge Wayland Sermons Jr. issued a 120-page order concluding that racism significantly affected the 2009 […]
Jail Credit During a Pending Post-Release Supervision Violation
There are about 10,000 people on post-release supervision (PRS) in North Carolina. Some of them get charged with a new crime. That new charge usually prompts the issuance of a […]
Congratulations to Newly Certified Magistrates
For most citizens in North Carolina magistrates are the “first face” of the judicial system. They serve the public with professionalism, continually staying updated on the ever-evolving civil and criminal […]
New Bulletin on Aggregation under G.S. 15A-1340.16F
A new Administration of Justice Bulletin on Aggregation of Financial Crimes is now available. I previously posted about this topic here, and the bulletin expands on the issue, seeking to […]
Case Summaries: N.C. Court of Appeals (Feb. 5, 2025)
This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released on February 5, 2025. These summaries will be added to Smith’s Criminal Case Compendium, a […]
News Roundup
Tuesday night, Pam Bondi was confirmed by the United States Senate as the Attorney General of the United States. Bondi previously served as Attorney General of Florida. The Senate voted […]
Case Summary: U.S. Supreme Court (Jan. 21, 2025)
This post summarizes a criminal law decision published by the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 21, 2025.
Pretrial Release of Seized Motor Vehicles
In every case where a person is charged with felony speeding to elude arrest pursuant to G.S. 20-141.5(b) or (b1), the motor vehicle driven is subject to seizure and forfeiture. […]
Case Summaries: N.C. Supreme Court (Jan. 31, 2025)
This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the Supreme Court of North Carolina released on January 31, 2025. These summaries will be added to Smith’s Criminal Case Compendium, a […]