Category: Legal Law

Several criminal statutes include the provision that a person who commits the offense prescribed is […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the “Ketamine Queen,” pled guilty on Wednesday to selling Matthew Perry the […]

In light of the recent Court of Appeals opinion State v. Moore, this post is […]

A few months ago, I blogged about the legislative changes that took effect last year […]

For the third week, federal forces continue to perform law enforcement duties in the District […]

In February, I blogged about State v. Thomas, 295 N.C. App. 564 (2024), and whether […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Supreme Court released on […]

A new school year is upon us and students across North Carolina are back in […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Erik Menendez was denied parole by a panel of California commissioners yesterday. He and his […]

I am excited to share this year’s annual report from the North Carolina Judicial College. […]

This post summarizes published criminal law and related cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court […]

President Trump deployed the D.C. National Guard, took control of the Metropolitan Police Department, and […]

I’m happy to announce the availability of the Second Edition of Probation Violations in North […]

The town of Wendell, NC, recently purchased two drones and associated equipment for $20,000 to […]

My colleagues have been blogging about some of the changes to our criminal law wrought […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

The North Carolina Judicial College was founded in 2005 to expand the education and training […]

The legislature enacted a raft of changes this summer to motor vehicle and criminal law. […]

When a person is arrested, a law enforcement officer must take that person before a […]

Law enforcement officers have long been authorized to search a person incident to the person’s […]

If you thought it was only corner-cutting lawyers and tech-savvy college students that were relying […]

As regular readers know, the General Assembly passed a slew of statutes affecting our criminal […]

Several times a year, I teach different groups about criminal domestic violence laws in North […]

In case you missed it, I wanted to remind folks that the Public Defense Education […]

A few weeks ago, the General Assembly passed, and the Governor signed into law, S.L. […]

The Alamo announced last week that it’s got Pee-wee’s stolen red bicycle, as foretold in […]

Special thanks to Sloan Godbey, Summer Law Fellow at UNC SOG, for their significant contributions […]

Back in February, the Court of Appeals decided State v. Nanes, COA24-487, ___ N.C. App. […]

The law that governs which cases begin under juvenile jurisdiction changed three times between 2019 […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

One of the top stories this week was the announcement by the Department of Justice […]

My colleague Joe Hyde blogged last week about the Court of Appeals’ determination in State […]

This post summarizes published criminal law and related cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court […]

Municipal police have many duties, sometimes including enforcing municipal ordinances. Municipalities without their own police […]

Floods have gripped the nation. From Texas, to New Mexico, to here in central North […]

Today’s post reviews the latest Structured Sentencing Statistical Report from the North Carolina Sentencing and […]

Last month, the School of Government’s Criminal Justice Innovation Lab released a new report evaluating […]

After State v. Singleton, 386 N.C. 183 (2024), an indictment is not rendered facially invalid […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

In State v. Aspiote, ___ N.C. App. ___ (May 21, 2025), the North Carolina Court […]

After law enforcement arrests someone, they must take that person before a judicial official “without […]

A new Administration of Justice Bulletin on Double Jeopardy in North Carolina is now available. […]

Former Durham Bull Wander Franco was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor in the […]

Character evidence is one of the most challenging areas of evidence law to navigate, as […]

Dispositional orders in delinquency cases must contain “appropriate findings of fact and conclusions of law.” […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Two immigration enforcement bills have passed at the General Assembly and are now on Governor Josh Stein’s […]

In North Carolina, a person must be indicted by a grand jury or must waive […]

If you’re working to protect vulnerable adults in your community, you know how important it […]

This post summarizes published criminal law and related cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court […]

Law enforcement officers may mislead suspects during questioning. For example, an officer may falsely tell […]

The Trump administration sued the state of New York on Thursday over a law that […]

Under G.S. 15A-1380.5, a law that existed from late 1994 to late 1998, North Carolina […]

In May, the North Carolina Statewide Court Appearance Project Committee released their Final Report with […]

The defendant in State v. Meadows, No. COA24-149 (N.C. Ct. App. May 7, 2025), was […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Multiple acts of mass violence plagued the country this week. In Boulder, Colorado on Sunday, […]

Criminal law practitioners may recall that in 2021 the General Assembly amended G.S. 15A-1215(a) to […]

Later this summer, we will be publishing a new Administration of Justice Bulletin, The Law […]

North Carolina General Statute 50B-3.1 provides that, under certain circumstances, a person who is subject […]

If you’re a police officer, a correctional officer, a probation/parole officer, a juvenile court counselor, […]

The top story this week is that Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton has been […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Supreme Court released on […]

I recently had the opportunity to watch a webinar on the latest research about how […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

On Wednesday, the Justice Department announced it is planning to drop investigations into nearly two […]

Suppose you are a defender representing a client charged with Possession of Firearm by Felon. […]

Derek was twenty years old when he suffered a stroke. He lost and then subsequently […]

This post summarizes published criminal law and related cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court […]

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that drug overdose […]

An immigration detainer is one of the key tools that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) […]

A defendant who claims self-defense is generally permitted to offer evidence of the victim’s prior […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

The Alabama Governor signed legislation on Tuesday, establishing a new shark alert system that warns […]

Post-release supervision has been mandatory for all felonies since 2011. But rarely if ever does […]

There are six sentencing levels for Driving While Impaired (DWI) convictions. A defendant is only […]

Serving as a confidential informant can be dangerous, whether the informant is an adult or […]

The top national story this week is that the Supreme Court just heard oral argument […]

The North Carolina Constitution historically mandated trial by jury in all criminal cases in superior […]

I read a news article some time ago about officers who investigate suspected prostitutes by […]

The top story this week is that country music star Jelly Roll has been recommended […]

A common evidence question that arises is how to properly authenticate digital communications. We have […]

Does the law regarding motor vehicle seizure when a person is charged with felony speeding […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Three chapters in the criminal law section of the Superior Court Judges’ Benchbook recently have been […]

This post summarizes published criminal law and related cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court […]

A couple of weeks ago, the Supreme Court decided Bondi v. VanDerStok, 604 U.S. __ […]

A woman was babysitting a child near Great Bend, Kansas, when the child she was […]

This post is about the recurring issue of the requirement for a court to make […]

The defendant in State v. Bell, No. 86A02-2 (N.C. March 21, 2025), failed to object […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

On Wednesday, the Michigan Supreme Court held in a 5-1 opinion that the odor of […]

The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) recently published a report addressing “unprecedented challenges” facing […]

It has long been held that the allowable unit of prosecution for an offense is within the discretion of […]

Earlier last month, the Court of Appeals decided State v. Watlington, COA23-1106, ___ N.C. App. […]

On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal regulation requiring, among other things, that […]

The Interstate Compact for Juveniles (ICJ) is a binding compact that establishes the law that […]

Increasingly, public defender offices are bringing social workers in-house. As part of a growing interest […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the Supreme Court of North Carolina released […]

Today is GiveUNC day, the university’s annual one-day fundraising event for alumni, faculty, staff, supporters, […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants were summarily deported from the United States to a prison in […]

A trial judge has broad discretion regarding whether to accept a defendant’s guilty plea entered […]

I have been covering developments around the legalization of hemp in North Carolina since 2018. […]

This post summarizes published criminal law and related cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court […]

Riley v. California, 573 U.S. 373 (2014), holds that the contents of a cell phone […]

The news story that captured my attention this week is not exactly, or not entirely, […]

Under G.S. 15A-1346(b), a sentencing court has the authority to order a probationary sentence to […]

The defendant in State v. Greenfield, No. COA23-597 (N.C. Ct. App. Feb. 19, 2025), argued […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

A man is scheduled to be executed by firing squad this evening, which would be […]

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the circumstances in which one judge may pick […]

In previous posts, I’ve addressed the expedited scheduling requirements and opportunities for permanent release of […]

The Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits the use of […]

We have covered the extensive post-conviction and appellate proceedings of Richard Glossip’s death sentence many […]

Last September, the Court of Appeals decided State v. Thomas, No. COA23-210, __ N.C. App. […]

Beginning with offenses committed on or after January 1, 2025, new laws are in effect […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Seven men are charged with stealing millions from the homes of six professional athletes across […]

Questions sometimes arise in criminal cases about whether a new judge may pick up duties […]

This post summarizes published criminal law cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals […]

Some time ago, I received an email from a researcher asking whether a minor may […]

After a two-week evidentiary hearing last February, and closing arguments delivered in August, Superior Court […]

There are about 10,000 people on post-release supervision (PRS) in North Carolina. Some of them […]

For most citizens in North Carolina magistrates are the “first face” of the judicial system. […]

A new Administration of Justice Bulletin on Aggregation of Financial Crimes is now available. I […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Tuesday night, Pam Bondi was confirmed by the United States Senate as the Attorney General […]

This post summarizes a criminal law decision published by the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. […]

In every case where a person is charged with felony speeding to elude arrest pursuant […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the Supreme Court of North Carolina released […]

I’ve enjoyed quite a few books by John Grisham. I liked some of his early […]

The lead story this week is the sentencing of former U.S. senator Bob Menendez on […]

The castle doctrine statute, G.S. 14-51.2, provides that it is presumptively reasonable for the lawful […]

Does the law that makes personally identifiable arrest information a public record apply to the […]

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Spain, where I networked with academic colleagues, […]

As one of his first acts as in office, President Trump issued sweeping pardons and […]

I recently completed a series of posts on issues surrounding confidential informants (“CI’s”), discovery, and […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

This post summarizes published criminal law cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals […]

This morning, President Biden announced that he will commute the sentences of nearly 2,500 inmates […]

In September 2023, then-Governor Roy Cooper appointed Allison Riggs to fill a vacancy on the […]

With a teaser like that, who could resist reading more? The 2025 edition of my […]

North Carolina is a bilateral conspiracy jurisdiction. Defining conspiracy as a combination of two or […]

According to WRAL and other sources, seven homes and one business have been damaged in […]

I am pleased to announce that the updated chapters in the Criminal Series of the […]

This post summarizes published criminal law and related decisions from the Fourth Circuit Court of […]

On my drive home yesterday, I heard a news story on the radio. The report […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Delinquency adjudications and criminal convictions of minors who have been transferred to Superior Court for […]

I’m writing this week to let readers know that several chapters in the criminal law […]

In the waning weeks of his four-year term, President Biden announced commutations of 37 of […]

Hunter Biden has been the focus of journalistic, criminal, and political investigations for years as […]

Law enforcement officers can’t cite every jaywalker, stop every speeder, and arrest every underage drinker, […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Law enforcement has authority to seize a person’s motor vehicle in several circumstances. Motor vehicles […]

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump was indicted for a third time. Trump previously was […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

On August 22, 2023, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST, the UNC School of […]

On New Year’s Eve, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued an opinion in No […]

I recently participated in a webinar with my colleagues Chris McLaughlin and Kirk Boone about […]

Last month the General Assembly enacted new G.S. 20-141.10 criminalizing so-called street takeovers. S.L. 2023-97. […]

This post summarizes published criminal law and related decisions from the Fourth Circuit Court of […]

The First Amendment permits criminal punishment for speech only when it falls within an established […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

Former President Donald Trump was indicted on Monday for the fourth time. A Fulton County […]

One of the more common questions I receive about the transfer of a case from […]

As a general rule, most defendants are entitled to have conditions of pretrial release set […]

Yesterday, former President Trump turned himself in at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta to […]

Every law student learns that state civil cases may be “removed” to federal court under […]

I am saddened to share news of the tragic shooting that took place on the […]

A few weeks ago, I wrote about one part of S.L. 2023-97 (S 91), which […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the Supreme Court of North Carolina released […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

A convicted murderer remains on the lam in the suburbs of Philadelphia following his escape […]

In preparation for some upcoming teaching, I’ve been brushing up on anticipatory search warrants. Such […]

Presented with an appalling set of facts, the North Carolina Supreme Court unanimously upheld the […]

Last month, my colleague Jeanette Pitts blogged about the new Pretrial Integrity Act enacted under […]

A recent court of appeals case, State v. Calderon, ___ N.C. App. ___ (2023), sets […]

A convicted murderer who escaped from prison in Pennsylvania and remained on the loose for […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

This post summarizes published criminal and related decisions released by the Fourth Circuit Court of […]

This post summarizes the published criminal opinions from the North Carolina Court of Appeals released […]

On Monday, Illinois became the first state to eliminate cash bail. A provision of the […]

Session Law 2023-114 includes many provisions that change the law governing delinquency cases. This is […]

Several provisions of the 2023 Appropriations Act (H 259) ratified by the General Assembly last […]

The opioid crisis seems to be getting worse every year. NCDHHS reports that in 2021, […]

Law enforcement officers in Philadelphia arrested more than 50 people Tuesday night after a flash […]