Displaying items by tag: courts

HAMLET – Chad Haywood and Jimmy Collins are no strangers to Richmond Community College. Not only are they graduates of the college, but they also have chosen similar career paths and have been friends since 2013.

It’s a bedrock principle of American law that average people can vindicate their legal and constitutional rights in courts of law and have those courts compel or prevent acts of other branches of government.

RALEIGH — In a compelling community forum, a woman described her heartbreaking involvement with the criminal justice system before Democratic party activists across the state.

RALEIGH — As courthouses begin to reopen across North Carolina, the state’s judicial branch office is preparing to request millions of dollars in funding to help keep them open.

RALEIGH — Newly-sworn-in Chief Justice Paul Newby is wasting little time in getting North Carolina’s court system back up and running. In an order that went into effect Thursday, Jan. 14, Newby handed authority to local court systems to decide about reopening.

RALEIGH — Moments after the N.C. State Supreme Court held its formal ceremonial investiture for all newly elected members, Republicans signaled that the extended closures of North Carolina’s judicial branch ordered by former Democrat Chief Justice Cherie Beasley due to COVID-19 can’t continue under the state constitution.

RALEIGH — A record 5.5 million or so votes have been cast in North Carolina, and Republicans are days away from confirming a potential sweep of contests for seats on the N.C. Supreme Court and the N.C. Court of Appeals. But it’s too early to make official predictions, experts say. Like the results of every other race in the 2020 election, little is certain. Yet. 

RALEIGH — Those convicted as teenagers could have their criminal records expunged, depending on the severity of the charges, as long as Gov. Roy Cooper signs the Second Chance Act into law.

RALEIGH — The State Judicial Council convened Thursday, Dec. 5, to discuss judicial branch reforms and to push for increased funding.

RALEIGH — If North Carolina’s nebulous criminal code isn’t confusing enough, the “elephant” metaphors lawmakers use to describe them are even less enlightening.