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...more
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. ...more
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...more
Long-time readers of this blog may remember the fun I’ve had finding photos reflecting the ups and downs of en banc rehearing in the Court of Appeals. The General Assembly first authorized en banc review in 2016, with the...more
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...more
Thirty years ago, Justice Scalia famously described the Supreme Court’s Lemon test as “some ghoul in a late-night horror movie that repeatedly sits up in its grave and shuffles abroad, after being repeatedly killed and...more
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of North Carolina published an order amending Appellate Rule 26. New Appellate Rule 26 permits appellate documents filed in the trial court using Odyssey’s e-filing system to be served on...more
Over the years, John, Dan, and Gene’s signature stamps expended lots of ink signing orders “By order of the Court.” Meanwhile, the identity and votes of the judges who ruled on a particular petition have long been a...more
This blog post is a mishmash of news and updates.
—Remote Oral Argument in Harper v. Hall (N.C. Congressional Maps Case). After a Supreme Court remand, the trial court entered an order upholding North Carolina’s...more
I am pleased to report that the Supreme Court of North Carolina has selected Grant Buckner as its 17th Clerk of Court.
Grant is no stranger to the appellate courts. Early on in his career, he clerked for Judge (and later...more
Social commentators have described our nation’s current labor market as the “Great Resignation.” Baby Boomers are retiring to spend more time with loved ones. Workers are leaving current employers for more flexible work...more
As reported previously, Dan Horne is retiring as Clerk of the Court of Appeals at the end of the month. His successor will be Eugene “Gene” Soar, who has served as Staff Attorney for the Clerk of the Court of Appeals since...more
The Appellate Rules Committee has updated its style–the Appellate Style Manual that is. The Style Manual provides practical examples and tips for those practicing in North Carolina’s state appellate courts. Although not a...more
In the first three weeks of 2021, I have heard nothing but positive feedback about the Supreme Court’s transcript-related rules updates.
In more good news, the Supreme Court’s Office of Administrative Counsel has...more
The recent opinion of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in M.E. v. T.J., No. COA18-1045 has more twists than a Chubby Checker look-alike contest. The opinion is long and the facts and procedure are somewhat convoluted, but...more
At the stroke of midnight, North Carolina’s judiciary entered a new era, with many appellate justices and judges taking the oath office from their homes. This age-old changing of the guard included Chief Justice Paul Newby...more