Case Summaries: N.C. Court of Appeals (May 18, 2021)
This post summarizes published criminal decisions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released on May 4, 2021. These summaries, which were written by Shea Denning and Jamie Markham, will […]
Case Summaries: U.S. Supreme Court (May 17, 2021)
This post summarizes decisions released by the United States Supreme Court on May 17, 2021. As always, they will be added to Smith’s Criminal Case Compendium, a free and searchable database […]
When May Officers Use Deadly Force?
Recent well-publicized incidents have led to questions about when a law enforcement officer may use deadly force to seize a fleeing suspect. The short answer is that the Constitution permits […]
Case Summaries: Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (April 2021)
This post summarizes published criminal and related decisions from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals released during April 2021.
An Update on Face Covering Requirements in Courthouses (and Elsewhere)
A week ago, I noted that Chief Justice Paul Newby had renewed several emergency directives, including Emergency Directive 21, which required that persons in a court facility wear a face […]
An Introduction to North Carolina Computer Crimes
By now, we’re all aware of last week’s crisis that caused people to hurry to the pumps and fill up on gas. If not, here’s the news: a hacker group […]
News Roundup
Motorists across the state are scrambling to find gas after a cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline significantly reduced shipments of fuel throughout much of the east coast this week. The attack, […]
North Carolina Court of Appeals Addresses Availability of Habeas Remedy for Prisoners Affected by COVID-19
Last week, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued its opinion about the availability of state habeas corpus to obtain release from custody by an inmate particularly susceptible to COVID-19. […]
The Andrew Brown Body Cam Rulings
In the wake of the April 21 killing of Andrew Brown, Jr., in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, I have fielded several media inquiries about our body cam law and the […]
May 10 Order Renews Some Emergency Directives, Lets Others Expire
More than 50 percent of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 43 percent of NC adults are fully vaccinated. […]