A writ of certiorari is a discretionary, extraordinary writ—and is therefore never granted as a matter of right. See, e.g., King v. Taylor, 188 N.C. 450, 451, 124
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Can the Cart (Appeal) Go Before the Horse (Entry of Order Being Appealed)?
Last 
week, the Court of Appeals returned to a general question that this blog has addressed before: When is a Notice of Appeal Filing Deadline or Requirement Jurisdictional? In this
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“They’re baaaaack!”– Disagreements Regarding Scope of Permissible Relief under Appellate Rule 21 and In re Civil Penalty
Update: In February 2021, the Supreme Court granted the defendant’s petition for discretion review.
Since 2015, this blog has frequently discussed whether the text of Appellate Rule 21 places restrictions
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Taking Care of Business (Part II): Supreme Court Reverses Order Dismissing Appeal Based on Purported Signatory Defect in Notice of Appeal
As noted yesterday, the Supreme Court has been busy. Need further proof? How about the fact that the Supreme Court considered 279 “other matters” on Friday— a category
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Unpublished Fourth Circuit Per Curiam Opinion Involving Pro Se Litigant Rights Moving Towards the Supreme Court on the Backs of Legal Giants
Note: much of the information below comes from The American Lawyer’s October 23 “Daily Dicta,” by Jenna Greene.
He started as a pro se plaintiff alleging First Amendment (and other)
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Writs of Certiorari: Still the Most Powerful Tool in the Appellate Courts’ Arsenal
On Friday, the Supreme Court of North Carolina reaffirmed that (1) a writ of certiorari remains the most powerful tool in an appellate court’s arsenal and (2) that the Appellate
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When Is a Deadline or Other Requirement for Filing a Notice of Appeal Jurisdictional? (State Edition)
A few weeks ago, the North Carolina Court of Appeals in Connor v. Connor rejected an argument that a notice of appeal signed by a pro se litigant was defective
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School of Government Releases Updated Resources for 3.1 Cases– Plus a Biddix/Stubbs Update!
The UNC School of Government recently released an updated manual on abuse, neglect, dependency, and termination of parental rights. The online version of the updated manual is located here.
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Court of Appeals Extends Grace To Reach Merits of Appeal–Twice in the Same Day
Our appellate blogosphere has been filled with an unusual number of posts involving dismissed appeals. However, the North Carolina Court of Appeals on Tuesday bestowed leniency on two appeals, utilizing
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The Court of Appeals Is Bound by Prior Panel Opinions—But Maybe Not!
As a champion of the appellate courts’ broad certiorari powers, I am eager for the Supreme Court of North Carolina to review the legal questions raised by cases such as
Continue Reading The Court of Appeals Is Bound by Prior Panel Opinions—But Maybe Not!