NC Criminal Law

Phil Dixon on Friday, August 7th, 2026

Last week’s News Roundup noted the story of a Charlotte-Mecklenburg officer accused of illegally accessing Flock camera data. According to these reports, at least 20 law enforcement officers in Georgia are facing...

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A defendant who is in custody has a Fifth Amendment right to counsel during an interrogation.

Evidence of the victim’s character may be introduced in two circumstances: First, the defendant may introduce evidence of a “pertinent trait” of the victim’s character. G.S. 8C-404(a)(2). The most common example is evidence of the victim’s violent character, offered when the defendant is claiming self-defense. Second, in homicide cases, the state may offer evidence of the victim’s character trait for “peacefulness” to rebut a claim by the defense that the victim was the first aggressor.

A statement of charges may charge the same offenses as the original pleading or additional or different misdemeanor offenses. G.S. 15A-922(d).

Unlike “character,” which refers to a person’s general disposition or personality trait, a “habit” is a person’s regular response to a repeated, specific situation. Evidence of a person’s habit may be introduced to show that the person’s conduct was in conformity with that habit on a particular occasion. G.S. 8C-406.

The superior court has general jurisdiction over all felonies, as well as any misdemeanors which are lesser-included offenses of the felony, joined with the felony, or initiated by grand jury presentment. G.S. 7A-271(a).