Legislation

In April 2017, the General Assembly moved primary (i.e., initial) appellate jurisdiction in termination of parental rights appeals from the Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court.  That change
Continue Reading Appellate Ping-Pong: General Assembly Sends Termination of Parental Rights Cases Back to Court of Appeals

Hurricane Florence has brought flooding and other forms of misery to much of North Carolina, especially in the coastal and southeastern counties.

On Thursday, 13 September 2018, Chief Justice Martin
Continue Reading Deadlines and Florence: A Helping Hand From The Chief Justice

There is perhaps no truer aphorism of appellate jurisdiction than this: The substantial right doctrine is more easily stated than applied.  In light of the Court of Appeals’ opinion last
Continue Reading You Can Say That Again: The Substantial Right Doctrine Is More Easily Stated Than Applied

On Tuesday, October 24, 2017, Chief Justice Mark Martin issued the following statement about Senate Bill 698, which seeks to amend the North Carolina Constitution to provide for two-year
Continue Reading Chief Justice Martin Addresses Senate Bill 698

On Wednesday, the General Assembly overrode the Governor’s veto of House Bill 239.  Against opposition from the bench and the bar, the legislature pushed the court-shrinking bill through on
Continue Reading Court of Appeals Downsizing Bill Becomes Law & More Jurisdictional Changes for Supreme Court