Delta-8 THC (and beyond)
Cannabis news abounds: Virginia legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and up this year; our General Assembly has been considering a medicinal marijuana bill (S.B. 711); the Court of Appeals […]
New Requirement that Law Enforcement Officers Intervene and Report Excessive Use of Force
The North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice recommended in a 2020 report that state and local law enforcement agencies enact policies requiring officers to intervene in […]
News Roundup
WLOS reports that Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams announced yesterday that his office will not initiate criminal charges in the death of Jacob Biddix, who died at Mission Hospital […]
Case Summaries – N.C. Court of Appeals (September 7, 2021)
This post summarizes published criminal decisions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released on September 7, 2021. These summaries will be added to Smith’s Criminal Case Compendium, a free and […]
Changes in North Carolina’s First Appearance Process, Effective for Criminal Processes Served on or after December 1, 2021
On September 2, 2021, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed Session Law 2021-138 (S300) into law. The law makes wide ranging changes to the state’s criminal law and procedure, including […]
An Overview of 2021 Criminal Law Legislation
Each year the School of Government summarizes legislation enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly affecting criminal law and procedure and motor vehicle laws. We also explore selected legislation in […]
News Roundup
Tragedy struck at Mount Tabor High School this week where a student, William Chavis Raynard Miller, Jr., was shot and killed, apparently by another student. As the Winston-Salem Journal reports, […]
Prosecutors Beware: State v. Newborn Provides a Word of Caution for Felon In Possession Indictments
Author’s Note: The opinion discussed below was reversed by the North Carolina Supreme Court in State v. Newborn, 330PA21, ___ N.C. ___ (June 16, 2023). The North Carolina Supreme Court’s opinion […]
News Roundup
As the North State Journal reports, the General Assembly recently passed a bill that repeals North Carolina’s pistol purchase permit law. Opinions on the bill are divided and it remains […]
School Notification of Felony Delinquency Charges
As students across North Carolina head back to school, it is a good time to review the law that governs notifying schools about juvenile delinquency cases. Prior to raise the […]