Quick Take: North Carolina vs. Wilson (Oct. 2025) holds that a defendant’s jailhouse letter admitting to a shooting to law enforcement was admissible as substantive evidence, even when framed as a negotiation. Jailhouse letters in North Carolina are not protected under Rule 408 and may be used as proof of guilt.…
When is video evidence admissible? Quick Take: In North Carolina vs. Ramsey (COA25-145, filed Oct. 1, 2025), the Court of Appeals approved admission of a short cell-phone clip for illustrative purposes: Eyewitness testified it fairly and accurately depicted what was observed Court treated missing chain links as issues of weight…
Can You Appeal After a Guilty Plea in North Carolina? Quick Take: North Carolina v. Branham shows that guilty pleas in North Carolina do not automatically preserve appellate rights, but certiorari may sometimes fill the gap. The Court of Appeals held no statutory right existed to appeal a denied immunity…
Can Ketogenic Fasting Affect Your DWI Charges in North Carolina? If you’re following ketogenic fasting, characterized by prolonged calorie and carbohydrate restriction, you may be unknowingly altering your body’s response to alcohol and potentially impacting DUI test results and associated criminal allegations of “drunk driving.” While ketogenic fasting triggers autophagy,…
North Carolina’s concealed carry law may be on the verge of a historic change. Presently, you must still have a valid permit to carry a concealed handgun. On July 29, 2025, the North Carolina Senate voted to override Governor Stein’s veto of Senate Bill 50, known as the “Freedom to…
I’d already had a rough day when I got the text from my wife sharing Fergie passed. “Dang,” was the only thing I could respond. I was without words. When someone from another generation passes away, particularly someone who was nothing less than a living legend and touchstone in the…
One of the most common questions criminal defense lawyers hear is, “Why am I still being charged if the alleged victim wants to drop the charges?” It’s a fair question. If the person who called the police doesn’t want to go forward, why would the court system care? In North…
Criminal defendants expect the legal system to deliver fairness. Our courts are designed to deliver legal compliance with the laws of the State of North Carolina, our state constitution, and the US Constitution, not necessarily fair results or what some facing criminal charges might believe is just or true “justice.”…
The 4th of July in North Carolina is a time for celebration. Families gather for cookouts, fireworks, and long weekends on the water. It is a tradition built around freedom, but every year it brings a familiar pattern to courtrooms across the state. Fireworks tickets, alcohol-related charges involving underage possession,…
There’s a persistent myth about criminal justice that criminal charges are straightforward, guilt is obvious, and if everyone simply did their job efficiently, cases would resolve in days rather than months or even years. This illusion persists until someone finds themselves or a loved one on the receiving end of…
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