NC Criminal Law

Shea Denning on Thursday, June 5th, 2025

Criminal law practitioners may recall that in 2021 the General Assembly amended G.S. 15A-1215(a) to permit the substitution of an alternate juror after deliberations have begun in a criminal trial. S.L. 2021-94. When those changes became effective for jurors selected on or after October 1, 2021, North Carolina joined the federal courts and several other ......

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The key question for double jeopardy analysis is whether each offense requires proof of an element that is not contained in the other — if not, they are the same offense and double jeopardy bars a successive prosecution.

The rules of evidence do not apply at sentencing. G.S. 8C-1101(b)(3).

A court may permit a defendant who moves to withdraw a guilty plea after sentencing to withdraw the plea only when it is necessary to avoid manifest injustice.

All criminal pleadings must name or otherwise identify the defendant. See G.S. 15A-924(a)(1).

The state has a constitutional duty under the due process clause to disclose to the defendant any material evidence that is favorable to the defense for a trial or sentencing hearing. This duty applies in misdemeanor and felony cases.