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 and the public to locate and view records, briefs, and other appellate filings by using a flexible search engine. A few years ago, a direct
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 Court of Appeals did in Harney v. Harney. Why? The appellant’s brief used an appendix to circumvent the 8,750 word-count limit. And then the
A dissenting opinion in the Court of Appeals has long been a litigant’s Golden Ticket, at least until a recent statutory change. The mere existence of the dissent bestowed an automatic right of appeal to the Supreme Court of North Carolina. But what if the dissenting opinion didn’t track what you argued? What if
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 door wide open all night and even the sweetest southern grandma will shake her head in disbelief. That’s the picture that comes to my mind
There is no shortage of CLE offerings, but we wanted to bring one to your attention: a virtual presentation on September 24, 2024. The program offers 8 credit hours, including 3 ethics hours. Berkeley Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky will give his entertaining review of recent decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court. Former N.C. Chief
A recent opinion out of the North Carolina Court of Appeals is causing comment in the criminal bar. In In The Matter Of J.B.P, (No. COA23-269), a juvenile petition was filed against the juvenile, alleging possession of marijuana with intent to sell and deliver, and carrying a concealed weapon. The juvenile filed a motion to
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 you ever heard a civil attorney say, “I wish I could orally notice an appeal”? Me neither. But the criminal trial bar overwhelmingly give oral
Big news out of the Court of Appeals for criminal practitioners. In State v. McLean, the Court of Appeals addressed a notice of appeal that was given orally the day after the trial ended and the defendant was sentenced. There was no written notice of appeal.
I know what you’re thinking, and Mr. McLean’s
Unicorn Disguise
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 if the parties knew ahead of time the precise issue the judges were interested in discussing?
We will hopefully have more insight on that question
