Parties must move for a directed verdict to preserve their right to request judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV*) after an unfavorable verdict is returned. Friday’s batch of Supreme Court opinions
Continue Reading Masterclass: North Carolina Supreme Court Explains Error Preservation in the Directed Verdict and JNOV Context.
Ever had to explain to a client why a sweet win in the lower courts doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s time to dig in and eat?
Continue Reading Appellate Courts and Messy Kitchens
You can hit your snooze button a little later on Tuesdays. Effective January 1, 2025, the Court of Appeals’ scheduled filing days for opinions will be the first and third
Continue Reading Wednesday Returns: Court of Appeals Changes Release Schedule for New Opinions
In appeals, the general rule is that litigants cannot appeal an interlocutory order until a final judgment is entered. But in North Carolina, a major statutory exception to the general
Continue Reading “So, What’s Going on Here?” North Carolina Supreme Court Clarifies Level of Detail Required to Demonstrate Right to Interlocutory Appeal Under the Substantial Right Doctrine
The Supreme Court’s Technology Department has done it again. Quietly adding even more features to the appellate courts’ electronic filings site, www.ncappellatecourts.org.
The filing site has long allowed attorneys
Continue Reading Christmas in September: New Features Added to North Carolina’s Appellate Filing Website
It’s not every day that the Court of Appeals spends almost 12 pages talking about the appellate rules, including why rules compliance is so important. But that’s exactly what the
Continue Reading We’re Not Reading All That! The Court of Appeals Sanctions One Appellant While Warning Everyone Else Not to Use an Appendix to Violate the Court of Appeals Word-Count Limit
When you read about someone breaking into an unlocked door in rural North Carolina you may hear sighs about the death of the good old days. But leave the front
Continue Reading Southern Hospitality: Difference Between Leaving an Error Preservation Door Unlocked And Inviting Someone to “Come on In”
Morgan’s prior blog post on State v. McLean started the wheels turning on a topic I find fascinating: oral notices of appeal.
Civil lawyers love written notices of appeal. Have
Continue Reading The Lights Are Still On: Oral Notices of Appeals in Criminal Cases
Oral argument in the appellate courts typically last an hour, with 30 minutes allotted to each side to present arguments. But might a shorter oral argument period be more productive
Continue Reading Fast Talk: Compressed Oral Arguments in N.C. Court of Appeals